Revoke the exposed credential promptly. If it is an npm access token, delete it in npm’s Access Tokens settings or revoke it with the npm CLI, then confirm it is gone. If it belongs to GitHub, a cloud provider, a database, or another service, revoke it with that issuer instead. Removing a package or file does not make an exposed credential safe again.
First, identify what was exposed
Determine whether the credential is an npm access token or a secret issued by another service. Then establish what it could do: read packages, publish releases, access source code, deploy software, or administer an account. npm token commands revoke npm tokens only; use the credential issuer’s official process for anything else.
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Do not paste the secret into a public issue, chat, or support request, and do not repeat it in incident notes. Record non-secret facts instead: the affected package and version, where the credential appeared, relevant timestamps, and any activity you observed.
How to revoke a leaked npm token
npm documents two ways to revoke an access token. Its website instructions say to find the token under Access Tokens and delete it; some website revocations may take up to an hour. The CLI documentation says a revoked token is immediately removed from the registry and unusable. Confirm the token is gone whichever method you use.
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| Method | Action | Timing stated by npm |
|---|---|---|
| npm website | Open npm’s Access Tokens settings and delete the exposed token. | Some revocations may take up to an hour. Confirm removal. npm Docs: Revoking access tokens |
| npm CLI | Run npm token list, identify the token ID, run npm token revoke <id|token>, then list tokens again to verify it is gone. |
npm says revocation immediately removes the token from the registry and makes it unusable. npm CLI v11: npm-token |
Use the token ID shown by the CLI, not a shortened display of the secret. Consult the current npm token command reference for command details. npm’s guidance is direct: “To keep your account and packages secure, we strongly recommend revoking (deleting) tokens you no longer need or that have been compromised.” npm Docs: Revoking access tokens
Check what the credential may have reached
Once access is cut off, review activity and exposure within the credential’s possible reach. This is prudent incident handling, not a complete forensic procedure prescribed by npm.
- Check npm account activity and package versions for unfamiliar publishing or changes.
- Inspect relevant repository history, CI logs, build artifacts, release outputs, and deployment configuration for copies of the secret.
- Look for actions taken while the credential may have been usable, such as package publication, source access, or deployments.
- Preserve timestamps and other non-secret evidence. Do not put the credential itself into the record.
Revoking a credential blocks future use through that credential; it does not erase copies already downloaded, remove old logs, or reverse actions already completed. Treat the secret as compromised even if you delete a file, remove a package version, or make a package private.
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Replace only what the workflow still needs
After revocation and review, create a replacement only if the legitimate workflow requires one. Give it the narrowest permissions and scope that will work, update the authorized consumer, and verify the workflow before relying on it. For installing private npm dependencies, npm recommends a read-only granular access token; do not restore a broad publish-capable token to a location that exposed the previous one. npm Docs: Trusted publishing for npm packages
If the token was published to GitHub
Revoke it at npm first; deleting the GitHub file or commit is not a substitute. Then inspect the repository’s relevant history, pull requests, workflow logs, and artifacts for other copies, and review npm account and package activity for unfamiliar actions. If the exposed credential was a GitHub token rather than an npm token, revoke it through GitHub’s official credential controls instead. The right response follows the issuer and permissions of the secret, not the site where it appeared.
When to contact npm or report a package
Use npm support for account-specific problems such as suspected account compromise, lost credentials, or two-factor authentication issues; npm directs security-related tickets through its support route. npm Security Policy
An exposed credential alone does not establish that a package is malware. If you find malicious code in a package, follow npm’s malware reporting process. npm distinguishes malware reports from vulnerabilities in a package, which it says should be reported privately to the package maintainers. npm Docs: Reporting malware in an npm package
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Review the package contents
Check what your package actually includes before the next publish. npm specifically identifies private keys, passwords, personally identifiable information, and credit-card data as sensitive information to remove before publishing. .npmignore and .gitignore can help exclude unnecessary files, but ignore rules do not protect secrets already committed, logged, or published. npm Docs: Creating and publishing private packages
Prefer trusted publishing where supported
npm trusted publishing uses OpenID Connect (OIDC) between npm and a CI provider, so supported workflows can publish without a long-lived npm write token. npm currently lists GitHub Actions on GitHub-hosted runners, GitLab CI/CD on GitLab.com shared runners, and CircleCI cloud. Its documentation specifies npm CLI 11.5.1 or later and Node.js 22.14.0 or later; check the current requirements when configuring a workflow because they can change.
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npm recommends preferring trusted publishing over long-lived tokens when available. First confirm the OIDC workflow works, then restrict traditional token publishing access; do not remove existing credentials before validating the replacement. Private dependency installation may still require a read-only granular token. npm Docs: Trusted publishing for npm packages
Strengthen account sign-in separately
npm describes a security key as its strongest supported two-factor authentication option and also supports authenticator apps that generate one-time passcodes. A hardware security key can help protect account sign-in, but it does not revoke an already exposed access token. npm Docs: npm Threats and Mitigations
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