Critical Malicious Code Vulnerability in format-text Package

format-text Updated 02 Oct 2025

Summary

14/08/2025
CRITICAL
No i
Critical
Not published

MAL-2025-20789: Malicious code in format-text (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓

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Background

The format-text package is a widely used npm library that provides functionality for formatting text in various ways. It is often utilized in web applications to enhance text presentation and ensure proper formatting. However, this package has been found to contain malicious code, posing a significant risk to applications that rely on it.

Vulnerability Detail

The vulnerability originates from the inclusion of malicious code within the format-text package, which was introduced in version 0 and affects all subsequent versions. This malicious code can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, or other harmful actions within applications that utilize this package. The ramifications can be severe, potentially compromising user data and application integrity.

How To Fix

This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.

npm uninstall format-text

If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.

Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →

Workaround

As a temporary workaround, consider removing the format-text package from your project until a secure version is released. You can do this by executing the command: 'npm uninstall format-text'. Alternatively, you may look for an alternative package that provides similar functionality without the associated risks.

Conclusion

The format-text package has been identified as containing malicious code, posing a serious threat to applications that utilize it. It is crucial to update or remove the package to mitigate risks. Regular monitoring for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert can help maintain application security.

See every vulnerability recorded for format-text →

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FAQ

The format-text package is an npm library used for formatting text in web applications, enhancing text presentation.

The malicious code was introduced in version 0 of the format-text package and affects all subsequent versions.

Using the compromised package can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential harm to application integrity.

You can use Vulert to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Visit Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without requiring any signup.

If immediate updates are not possible, consider removing the package or using an alternative until a secure version is available.

How To Fix

This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.

npm uninstall format-text

If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.

Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →

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