This error occurs when npm can't verify the cryptographic signature of a package. Usually caused by package publishing issues, registry problems, or tampering detection.
The EAUDITSIGNATURE error means npm's signature verification detected a problem with one or more packages. Starting with npm 8.21, npm can verify ECDSA signatures on packages to ensure they haven't been tampered with between the registry and your machine. This error can indicate: - A package was published without proper signatures - The package maintainer's signing setup has issues - Registry problems with signature attestations - Potential tampering (rare, but what the feature is designed to catch) Most commonly, this is caused by package-side publishing issues rather than actual tampering.
Corrupted cache can cause signature issues:
npm cache clean --force
rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json
npm installNewer npm versions have better signature handling:
npm install -g npm@latestIf the error mentions specific packages, check if the issue is known:
1. Search the package's GitHub issues for "signature"
2. Try a different version of the affected package:
npm install affected-package@previous-versionCheck if your registry provides signing keys:
curl https://registry.npmjs.org/-/npm/v1/keysPrivate registries may not support signature verification.
If you've verified the package is legitimate:
# Run audit without signature verification
npm audit --audit-level=noneOr install without audit:
npm install --ignore-scripts --no-auditOnly use temporarily while investigating the root cause.
Common affected packages: Some popular packages have had signature issues:
- playwright (certain versions)
- nodemailer (6.9.11-6.9.12)
Check the package's issue tracker if you see this error.
What signatures protect against: Package signatures help detect:
- Man-in-the-middle attacks between registry and client
- Registry compromise
- Package substitution attacks
Private registries: Most private registries (Verdaccio, Nexus, Artifactory) don't support npm signatures. If you're using a private registry, signature verification may not be available.
False positives: Most EAUDITSIGNATURE errors are false positives caused by:
- Package publisher configuration issues
- Registry synchronization delays
- Caching issues
If you suspect actual tampering, compare the package hash with trusted sources and investigate thoroughly before installing.
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