MalwarePublished 25 Sep 2026

chromatitle (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects chromatitleSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove chromatitle and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 25 Sep 2026, 04:49 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-17173

What to do

Remove chromatitle from every project, lockfile and image that pulls it in. Treat any host that installed it as compromised: rotate the credentials, tokens and keys it could read, from a clean machine.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
npmchromatitle	Affected =1.0.0	Fixed in–

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Description

--- _-= Per source details. Do not edit below this line.=-_ ## Source: amazon-inspector (793cf7eb2b4de9c41e229fc89c393e38f05141991762f69f310e1397fa464f9c) chromatitle advertises itself as an ANSI color/title formatting library but its main entry src/index.js unconditionally calls _bootstrap() at top level, transferring control to src/utils/bootstrap.js. bootstrap.js is a ~51KB javascript-obfuscator artifact (rotated string array, RC4-style decoder, self-defending IIFE, hex-mangled identifiers such as _0x59ef48/_0x4c3a73/_0xbac3ae) that imports https.get and child_process.execFile and consumes a getSystemInfo helper returning the host platform (windows/linux/macos/freebsd/sunos). The combination of import-time execution, platform-gated branching, remote HTTPS fetch, and subprocess execution inside a file whose contents are deliberately concealed matches the fetch-and-execute dropper shape. A terminal color/title formatter has no functional need for child_process or outbound HTTPS at import time, and the obfuscation hides the destination host and the command handed to execFile. Any downstream package that requires or imports chromatitle triggers this loader on load.

Impact

Any system or project that imports or requires 'chromatitle' version 1.0.0 will execute malicious code at load time. This code fetches and runs remote payloads, which could lead to arbitrary code execution, system compromise, or further malware infection. The malicious behavior is concealed by heavy obfuscation and platform-specific branching, increasing the risk of unnoticed exploitation.

Defensive guidance

Users should immediately remove or avoid using 'chromatitle' version 1.0.0. Audit dependencies to ensure this package is not included transitively. Monitor for updates or advisories from the package maintainers or npm registry. Until a fix or official guidance is provided, do not import or require this package.

Summary

The 'chromatitle' npm package (version 1.0.0) advertises itself as a terminal color/title formatter but contains a malicious payload. Its main entry point immediately executes a bootstrap function that loads an obfuscated ~51KB JavaScript artifact. This artifact performs platform detection and then fetches remote code over HTTPS, subsequently executing it via child_process.execFile. The obfuscation hides the remote host and the executed command, consistent with a fetch-and-execute dropper malware pattern. This means any downstream package importing 'chromatitle' triggers this malicious loader, potentially compromising the host system.

References

npmjs.com/package/chromatitle/v/1.0.0 (opens in a new tab)

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 25 Sep 2026, 04:44 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews