Summary
Unauthorized npm publish of [email protected] with modified postinstall script
Description
On February 17, 2026 at 3:26 AM PT, an unauthorized party used a compromised npm publish token to publish an update to Cline CLI on the NPM registry: [email protected]. The published package contains a modified package.json with an added postinstall script:"postinstall": "npm install -g openclaw@latest"
This causes openclaw (an unrelated, non-malicious open source package) to be globally installed when [email protected] is installed. No other files were modified -- the CLI binary (dist/cli.mjs) and all other package contents are identical to the legitimate [email protected] release.
A corrected version (2.4.0) was published at 11:23 AM PT and 2.3.0 was deprecated at 11:30 AM PT. The compromised token has been revoked and npm publishing now uses OIDC provenance via GitHub Actions.
Workarounds
If you installed Cline CLI [email protected]:
- Update to the latest version of the Cline CLI
cline updateornpm installl -g cline@latest - Verify that you have a fixed version (2.4.0 or higher)
cline --version - Review your environment for any unexpected installation of OpenClaw and remove it if not intended
npm uninstall -g openclaw
Impact
Users who installed Cline CLI [email protected] during the approximately 8-hour window between 3:26 AM PT and 11:30 AM PT on February 17 will have openclaw globally installed. The openclaw package is a legitimate open source project and is not malicious, but its installation was not authorized or intended.
The Cline VS Code extension and JetBrains plugin were not affected. This advisory applies only to the Cline CLI package published on npm.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Versions 2.4.0 and higher are fixed
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-9PPG-JX86-FQW7? GHSA-9PPG-JX86-FQW7 is a low-severity security vulnerability in cline (npm), affecting versions = 2.3.0. It is fixed in 2.4.0.
- Which versions of cline are affected by GHSA-9PPG-JX86-FQW7? cline (npm) versions = 2.3.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-9PPG-JX86-FQW7? Yes. GHSA-9PPG-JX86-FQW7 is fixed in 2.4.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-9PPG-JX86-FQW7 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-9PPG-JX86-FQW7 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether GHSA-9PPG-JX86-FQW7 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix GHSA-9PPG-JX86-FQW7? Upgrade
clineto 2.4.0 or later.