# chalk, debug and 16 other npm packages (2B+ weekly downloads) hijacked via fake 2FA email · pwn.watch

> Maintainer Josh Junon (qix) was phished by a fake npm 2FA-reset email from npmjs.help. The attacker published malicious versions of 18 packages, including chalk, debug, ansi-styles and strip-ansi, with code that hijacked crypto wallet transactions in browsers. They were live for about two hours.

Page: https://pwn.watch/i/chalk-debug-npm-hijack-september-2025 · generated 2026-10-22T20:45:43.249Z

## Status
- Severity: critical · status: closed · patch: patched
- Product: npm: chalk, debug, ansi-styles, strip-ansi, supports-color and 13 more
- Started: 2025-09-08 · closed: 2025-09-13
- Affected: chalk 5.6.1; debug 4.4.2; ansi-styles 6.2.2; strip-ansi 7.1.1; supports-color 10.2.1; ansi-regex 6.2.1; wrap-ansi 9.0.1; slice-ansi 7.1.1; has-ansi 6.0.1; chalk-template 1.1.1; supports-hyperlinks 4.1.1; others: see debug-js/debug#1005
- Fixed in: chalk 5.6.2; ansi-styles 6.2.3; strip-ansi 7.1.2; supports-color 10.2.2; ansi-regex 6.2.2; wrap-ansi 9.0.2; slice-ansi 7.1.2; has-ansi 6.0.2; chalk-template 1.1.2; supports-hyperlinks 4.1.2; debug and others: republished by the maintainer on 2025-09-13

## Follow this incident
- RSS (one item per update): https://pwn.watch/i/chalk-debug-npm-hijack-september-2025/feed.xml
- JSON Feed: https://pwn.watch/i/chalk-debug-npm-hijack-september-2025/feed.json
- Full data (timeline, sources, posts, agentBrief): https://pwn.watch/i/chalk-debug-npm-hijack-september-2025.json
- This file: https://pwn.watch/i/chalk-debug-npm-hijack-september-2025/llms.txt

## Updates (newest first)
- 2025-09-15: Initial CVEs posted (https://github.com/debug-js/debug/issues/1005)
- 2025-09-13: All remaining affected packages republished by the maintainer (https://github.com/debug-js/debug/issues/1005)
- 2025-09-08: Malicious versions start appearing on npm (13:16 UTC) (https://www.aikido.dev/blog/npm-debug-and-chalk-packages-compromised)
- 2025-09-08: Sindre Sorhus publishes clean chalk-family versions over the compromised ones (https://github.com/chalk/chalk/issues/656)
- 2025-09-08: npm takes down all impacted versions (21:59 CEST); maintainer account restored (23:48 CEST) (https://github.com/debug-js/debug/issues/1005)

## Fix brief
# Security brief: chalk, debug and 16 other npm packages (2B+ weekly downloads) hijacked via fake 2FA email

Source: https://pwn.watch/i/chalk-debug-npm-hijack-september-2025 · status: closed (closed Sep 13, 2025) · severity: critical · updated Sep 15, 2025

## Patch status
**PATCHED: fixed releases exist. Upgrade to a fixed version.**

## What it is
Maintainer Josh Junon (qix) was phished by a fake npm 2FA-reset email from npmjs.help. The attacker published malicious versions of 18 packages, including chalk, debug, ansi-styles and strip-ansi, with code that hijacked crypto wallet transactions in browsers. They were live for about two hours.

Severity detail: Supply-chain compromise of packages with 2B+ weekly downloads (crypto-drainer payload)

- Product: npm: chalk, debug, ansi-styles, strip-ansi, supports-color and 13 more

## Affected versions
- chalk 5.6.1
- debug 4.4.2
- ansi-styles 6.2.2
- strip-ansi 7.1.1
- supports-color 10.2.1
- ansi-regex 6.2.1
- wrap-ansi 9.0.1
- slice-ansi 7.1.1
- has-ansi 6.0.1
- chalk-template 1.1.1
- supports-hyperlinks 4.1.1
- others: see debug-js/debug#1005

## Check whether you're affected
No generic command applies (the product is a hosted service, appliance or desktop app). Check the installed version in its admin UI / About screen and compare with the versions above.

## Fix
Upgrade to one of these fixed versions (or later on the same branch):
- chalk 5.6.2
- ansi-styles 6.2.3
- strip-ansi 7.1.2
- supports-color 10.2.2
- ansi-regex 6.2.2
- wrap-ansi 9.0.2
- slice-ansi 7.1.2
- has-ansi 6.0.2
- chalk-template 1.1.2
- supports-hyperlinks 4.1.2
- debug and others: republished by the maintainer on 2025-09-13

After upgrading, re-run the checks above and redeploy/restart the affected services.

## Latest updates
- Sep 15, 2025: Initial CVEs posted
- Sep 13, 2025: All remaining affected packages republished by the maintainer
- Sep 8, 2025: Malicious versions start appearing on npm (13:16 UTC)
- Sep 8, 2025: Sindre Sorhus publishes clean chalk-family versions over the compromised ones
- Sep 8, 2025: npm takes down all impacted versions (21:59 CEST); maintainer account restored (23:48 CEST)

## Write-ups & news
- [Version 5.6.1 published to npm is compromised (chalk#656)](https://github.com/chalk/chalk/issues/656)
- [Version 4.4.2 published to npm is compromised (debug#1005)](https://github.com/debug-js/debug/issues/1005)
- [npm debug and chalk packages compromised](https://www.aikido.dev/blog/npm-debug-and-chalk-packages-compromised)
- [Hackers hijack npm packages with 2 billion weekly downloads in supply chain attack](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-hijack-npm-packages-with-2-billion-weekly-downloads-in-supply-chain-attack/)
- [Fake npm 2FA reset email led to compromise of popular code packages](https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/09/09/npm-packages-supply-chain-compromise/)

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Machine-readable: https://pwn.watch/i/chalk-debug-npm-hijack-september-2025.json · all incidents: https://pwn.watch/incidents.json. Verify against the vendor advisory before changing production systems.