Fake job interviews are all over my feed.

One fake take-home reported to OpenSSF in October 2026 had no install scripts, so --ignore-scripts wouldn't save you. The malicious code ran from the Tailwind config the moment you started the dev server.

Install time and dev-server time are different stops

The chain, from the record:

web/.npmrc committed npm token tailwind.config.js loads a public "Animate.css" plugin public plugin depends on a private scoped package private package only resolves with that token npm run dev Tailwind loads the config, and the code runs

Skipping lifecycle hooks doesn't stop the plugin from running later.

Yunus Aydın took apart an earlier package in this chain. The private package contacts a server the attacker controls. Then it runs the code it receives, with full Node.js access.

The October 19, 2026 record counted 26 npm packages built this way, published between July 28 and October 9. That's a dated count, not a live total.

The repo also came with an AGENTS.md and a CLAUDE.md. Instructions for the AI you'd ask to check it. They send it to read docs inside node_modules, which means installing first. The report doesn't show an agent obeying. But someone wrote those files for one.

A clean scan is not a verdict

The October 7 record says npm audit and public scanners can't see the private package. The October 19 record says the package "was not retrieved". An automated note there calls the public part "consistent with a small Tailwind CSS animation utility package".

Treat a private dependency you can't read as an open risk. A clean result doesn't cover it.

The signals before you touch the code

A convincing interview doesn't clear the repo. Aydın's had standard backend questions. These warning signs come from the reports above and a September 2024 FBI notice about North Korean attacks on the crypto industry:

  • They agree too fast. Aydın countered 50% above the offer. The answer: "We can accommodate your compensation."
  • Little evidence outside its own site. Aydın found no funding news, press or LinkedIn company page with real employees for Worklo.
  • Their links lead nowhere. Aydın reported a broken GitHub link and a failed sign-up on Worklo's site.
  • The dates don't add up. Nodveta's commits were dated September 20 and 21, 2026. Its GitHub organisation was created on September 29.
  • A token sits in the repo. Both repos committed an .npmrc with an npm token.
  • The test means running their code. The FBI lists a "pre-employment test" or debugging exercise that runs unknown packages, scripts or GitHub repositories.

None proves a scam alone. A repo moved to a new organisation can have old commits. When several line up, stop.

What to run instead of the project

These commands list files and dates. Run them from outside the downloaded repo. Replace /path/to/repo with its path and COMPANY with the GitHub organisation name.

# Agent files and npm config, outside node_modules find "/path/to/repo" -name node_modules -prune -o \( -name .npmrc -o -name AGENTS.md -o -name CLAUDE.md \) -type f -print # Oldest commit dates in the repo git -C "/path/to/repo" log --format=%ad --date=short | sort | head -3 # When the GitHub organisation was created curl -fsS https://api.github.com/orgs/COMPANY | grep created_at

Then read tailwind.config.js, postcss.config.js and package.json yourself, and look up each package you don't know.

Verify the recruiter through a channel you found yourself. The FBI says to use "separate unconnected communication platforms". Open the folder in VS Code Restricted Mode, which disables agents and blocks the terminal by default. Decline the trust prompt. It can't stop a malicious extension.

If it has to run, use a throwaway VM with no real credentials, SSH keys, signed-in accounts or shared folders. That limits what the code can reach. It's no guarantee. Or ask to use a device they provide, an option the FBI names. Never a work laptop.

If you already ran it

The October 7 record says to treat the computer as "fully compromised" and rotate every secret and key from a different computer. Removing the package may not remove what it left behind. Aydın recommends rebuilding the machine. If it's a work laptop, tell your security team before rebuilding.

For anyone job hunting

Cyber awareness is a basic skill now. For everyone, and especially for anyone job hunting.

Don't run any repo you don't understand from someone you don't trust. And don't let your AI run it for you either.

Stay safe!

The maintained version, with the signal table and every source: The interview feels real. The repo is malware.