debug is a JavaScript debugging utility. On 8 September 2025, the npm publishing account for debug was taken over after a phishing attack. Version 4.4.2 was published, functionally identical to the previous patch version, but with a malware payload added attempting to redirect cryptocurrency transactions to the attacker's own addresses from within browser environments. Local environments, server environments, command line applications, etc. are not affected. If the package was used in a browser context (e.g. a direct <script> inclusion, or via a bundling tool such as Babel, Rollup, Vite, Next.js, etc.) there is a chance the malware still exists and such bundles will need to be rebuilt. The malware seemingly only targets cryptocurrency transactions and wallets such as MetaMask. npm removed the offending package from the registry over the course of the day on 8 September, preventing further downloads from npm proper. On 13 September, the package owner published new patch versions to help cache-bust those using private registries who might still have the compromised version cached. Users should upgrade to the latest patch version, completely remove their node_modules directory, clean their package manager's global cache, and rebuild any browser bundles from scratch. Those operating private registries or registry mirrors should purge the offending versions from any caches. This issue has been resolved in 4.4.3.

The remote host has a version of one or more Node.js modules installed known to be compromised in a supply chain attack. The following Node.js modules are known to be affected: 'backslash', 'chalk', 'debug', 'chalk-template', 'supports-hyperlinks', 'has-ansi', 'simple-swizzle', 'color-string', 'error-ex', 'color-name', 'is-arrayish', 'slice-ansi', 'color-convert', 'wrap-ansi', 'ansi-regex', 'supports-color', 'strip-ansi', 'ansi-styles'. A malicious update to these modules introduced crypto-stealing behavior through web browser network traffic monitoring, interception and hijacking.

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

There are packages installed that are affected by a vulnerability referenced in the following CVE:

  - debug is a JavaScript debugging utility. On 8 September 2025, the npm publishing account for debug was
    taken over after a phishing attack. Version 4.4.2 was published, functionally identical to the previous
    patch version, but with a malware payload added attempting to redirect cryptocurrency transactions to the
    attacker's own addresses from within browser environments. Local environments, server environments,
    command line applications, etc. are not affected. If the package was used in a browser context (e.g. a
    direct <script> inclusion, or via a bundling tool such as Babel, Rollup, Vite, Next.js, etc.) there is a
    chance the malware still exists and such bundles will need to be rebuilt. The malware seemingly only
    targets cryptocurrency transactions and wallets such as MetaMask. npm removed the offending package from
    the registry over the course of the day on 8 September, preventing further downloads from npm proper. On
    13 September, the package owner published new patch versions to help cache-bust those using private
    registries who might still have the compromised version cached. Users should upgrade to the latest patch
    version, completely remove their node_modules directory, clean their package manager's global cache, and
    rebuild any browser bundles from scratch. Those operating private registries or registry mirrors should
    purge the offending versions from any caches. This issue has been resolved in 4.4.3. (CVE-2025-59144)

ID	Name	Product	Family	Severity
265444	Multiple Node.js Modules compromised in supply chain attack to steal crypto (08/09/2025)	Nessus	Misc.	high
435307	SCA: security update for debug (GHSA-4x49-vf9v-38px)	Tenable Cloud Security	SCA Checks	high
435307	SCA: security update for debug (GHSA-4x49-vf9v-38px)	Tenable Self-Hosted Container Security	SCA Checks	high

Detections

Analytics

CVE-2025-59144

high

Tenable Plugins

high

high

high