Malicious Code Injection in curly_stork_z3n: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-101161: Malicious code in curly_stork_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
curly_stork_z3n is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign targeting the npm registry. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward scheme, which aims to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. The malicious nature of this package lies in its ability to modify critical files and continuously republish variants, thereby polluting the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in curly_stork_z3n originates from its design to include autopublish scripts that automatically generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior not only modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and change version numbers but also leads to the creation of numerous Indonesian-themed package names. The continuous republishing of these variants can significantly degrade the quality of the npm registry, making it difficult for developers to find legitimate packages and potentially exposing them to further security risks.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall curly_stork_z3nIf 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, you can avoid using the curly_stork_z3n package altogether. If you have dependencies relying on it, consider replacing them with alternative packages that do not exhibit malicious behavior. Additionally, you can monitor your project for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert, which can alert you to open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
Conclusion
The curly_stork_z3n package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior of modifying package files and republishing variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package from their projects and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in real-time.
See every vulnerability recorded for curly_stork_z3n →
FAQ
curly_stork_z3n is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, making it difficult to find legitimate packages and potentially exposing your project to further security risks.
You should uninstall the package immediately using the command npm uninstall curly_stork_z3n and check your package-lock.json for any lingering references.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software in real-time. It requires only your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
