hex-encode-utils (npm) · Malicious Code
Affects hex-encode-utilsSource GCVE Database
Malicious package : remove hex-encode-utils and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 16:15 UTC
Malicious package
Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-13695
What to do
Remove hex-encode-utils 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 |
|---|---|---|
| npmhex-encode-utils | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
Description
The npm package hex-encode-utils versions 1.0.0 through 1.0.5 contains malicious code that executes during installation. It fetches an encrypted payload from hardcoded Cloudflare Workers hosts with TLS verification disabled, decrypts it using a hardcoded key, writes it to a local Python file, and executes it in a detached process. The package also sends host information to a Telegram bot. The malicious behavior is disguised as a compatibility shim and includes sandbox evasion checks to avoid detection in CI or container environments.
References
- npmjs.com/package/hex-encode-utils/v/1.0.5 (opens in a new tab)
- npmjs.com/package/hex-encode-utils/v/1.0.1 (opens in a new tab)
- npmjs.com/package/hex-encode-utils/v/1.0.2 (opens in a new tab)
- npmjs.com/package/hex-encode-utils/v/1.0.3 (opens in a new tab)
- npmjs.com/package/hex-encode-utils/v/1.0.0 (opens in a new tab)
- npmjs.com/package/hex-encode-utils/v/1.0.4 (opens in a new tab)
- npmjs.com/package/hex-encode-utils (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/stdlib-utils/hex-encode-utils (opens in a new tab)