MAL-2026-17223 Malicious code in chalk-figlet (npm)
Malicious package
Published
MAL-2026-17223 is a malicious package: chalk-figlet (npm). Every version was published to cause harm.
Task:
1. Search this repository's dependency manifests and lockfiles for the package, including transitive dependencies.
2. If it is present, remove it, regenerate the lockfile with the project's package manager, and replace whatever it was used for.
3. List any CI runners, developer machines or containers that installed it, so their secrets can be rotated.
4. If the package is not used anywhere, say so and change nothing.
Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17223/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17223/index.md)
- Package
- chalk-figlet
- Registry
- npm
What is MAL-2026-17223?
MAL-2026-17223 is a malicious package in chalk-figlet, published on 28 Sep 2026.
Official description
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.What should I do about MAL-2026-17223?
Remove the package from your dependencies and lockfiles, then rotate any secrets on machines where it was installed.