Malicious Code Injection in wispy_capybara_z3n: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-110963: Malicious code in wispy_capybara_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
Habilume
Habit tracker with a companion that grows with you
Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
Background
The package 'wispy_capybara_z3n' is part of a series of npm packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. The malicious nature of this package lies in its ability to alter package metadata and republish variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'wispy_capybara_z3n' originates from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, change version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior is intended to create numerous derivative packages that clutter the npm registry, potentially leading to confusion and misuse of legitimate packages. The autopublish scripts included in this package facilitate the automatic generation and publication of these variants, posing a significant risk to developers relying on the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall wispy_capybara_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 measure, consider using the following command to uninstall the affected package: npm uninstall wispy_capybara_z3n. Additionally, regularly audit your npm packages for vulnerabilities using npm audit.
Conclusion
The 'wispy_capybara_z3n' package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code designed to manipulate package metadata and republish variants. It is essential for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of their projects.
See every vulnerability recorded for wispy_capybara_z3n →
FAQ
'wispy_capybara_z3n' is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through the creation of numerous derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, making it difficult to find legitimate packages and potentially introducing security risks into your project.
You should uninstall the 'wispy_capybara_z3n' package immediately and monitor your project for any other potentially malicious packages.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
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.
Habilume
Habit tracker with a companion that grows with you
Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
