decimal-format-utilsnpm
Advisory published Updated
decimal-format-utils is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-6368) that typosquats a legitimate package to trick installs (malicious versions 1.0.0, 1.0.1). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in decimal-format-utils (npm)
What this malware does
The postinstall script scripts/sync-peer.cjs runs npm pack [email protected] (or whatever version is configured via BACKUP_TARGET_VERSION/BACKUP_PAYLOAD_SPEC), extracts the resulting tarball, overwrites every file of the installed v1.0.0 package in place via fs.cpSync over the package root, and then require()s the replaced index.js and awaits from_str(). The effect is that npm install [email protected] executes code from a different, publisher-mutable version at install time, bypassing lockfile pinning and giving the publisher a live remote code execution channel into every install. The package additionally impersonates the big.js maintainer: package.json sets author: Michael Mclaughlin and repository.url: https://github.com/MikeMcl/big.js.git, and the README falsely claims the package is pulled in automatically as a dependency of [email protected]. big.js declares no such dependency. The impersonation appears designed to lure installers into trusting an unrelated publisher whose postinstall then executes arbitrary fetched code.
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 decimal-format-utils (2 malicious versions).
If you installed it — respond
decimal-format-utils is a typosquat — you almost certainly intended a legitimately-named package. Remove decimal-format-utils, 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 decimal-format-utils 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 decimal-format-utils-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.