img-to-nativenpm
Advisory published Updated
img-to-native is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-17216) that executes malicious code on install (malicious versions 1.0.0, 1.0.1, 1.0.2…). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in img-to-native (npm)
What this malware does
On require() of img-to-native, index.js reads banner.jpg from the.cache directory of its sole dependency cdn-img-fetch, locates a payload appended after the PNG IEND marker, base64-decodes it, and AES-256-CBC decrypts it using a key derived from sha256('nif-runtime-2027'). The decrypted bytes are written to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\NodeRuntime\node_runtime_helper.exe with mode 0o755, and the source image is then unlinked. An fs.watch fallback waits for the image to appear if it is not yet staged. The payload is obfuscated (hidden after a PNG end-of-image marker, base64-encoded, AES-encrypted), unverified (no hash or signature check), and dropped to a persistence-adjacent path with executable bits set. The advertised purpose ("convert image files to native binary representation") does not require decrypting content appended after a PNG IEND chunk to materialize a Windows executable. The companion package cdn-img-fetch is pinned as a caret range (^1.0.0), so future 1.x releases can silently change the delivered payload bytes. Installing or loading this package results in attacker-controlled code being written to the installer's filesystem with execute permission.
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
Malicious packageFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for img-to-native (4 malicious versions).
If you installed it — respond
Remove img-to-native from your project and lockfile, then assume any secrets accessible to the build or runtime were exposed: rotate API keys, tokens, and credentials, and audit for unexpected outbound activity or persistence.
Did it already run?
If img-to-native 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 img-to-native-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.