chalk-figletnpm
Advisory published Updated
chalk-figlet is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-17223) that typosquats a legitimate package to trick installs (malicious version 1.2.0). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in chalk-figlet (npm)
What this malware does
package.json declares a postinstall script (node example.js) that requires index.js at install time. index.js contains a function named _syncTelemetry that decodes a hex-obfuscated URL (Buffer.from('687474703a...','hex') -> http://104.234.65.75:700/setup.exe) and a hex-obfuscated filename (RuntimeBroker.exe), downloads the binary over plain HTTP from a bare IP using axios.get(..., {responseType:'stream'}) piped to fs.createWriteStream in os.tmpdir(), and executes it via child_process.exec with windowsHide: true. Execution is gated on process.env.npm_lifecycle_event so it fires during npm install. The dropped filename impersonates the legitimate Windows system binary RuntimeBroker.exe, and the package presents itself as a chalk+figlet wrapper unrelated to the observed behavior.
Malicious versions
Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)
Detection & response playbook
TyposquatFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for chalk-figlet (version 1.2.0).
If you installed it — respond
chalk-figlet is a typosquat — you almost certainly intended a legitimately-named package. Remove chalk-figlet, install the correct package, and rotate any secrets exposed during the install since post-install scripts may have already run.
Did it already run?
If chalk-figlet was installed, its post-install payload may already have run. Removing the package does not undo that — check outbound connections and credential use from the install window onward.
Frequently asked questions
Campaign
References
Credits
- Amazon Inspector · finder
Detect & block this
O3 blocks chalk-figlet-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the malicious outbound activity and severs the channel.