MalwarePublished 9 Jul 2026Updated 10 Jul 2026

cookie-parser-js (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects cookie-parser-jsSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove cookie-parser-js and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 12 Jul 2026, 09:18 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-10060

What to do

Remove cookie-parser-js from every project, lockfile and image that pulls it in. Treat any host that installed it as compromised: rotate the credentials, tokens and keys it could read, from a clean machine.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
npmcookie-parser-js	Affected 1.0.8 – 1.5.0 4 affected builds	Fixed in–

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

Description

--- _-= Per source details. Do not edit below this line.=-_ ## Source: amazon-inspector (c6c2bd7c1b5b363e72753401f6edebf816965a625227e6523210e4620ce9bb8a) cookie-parser-js impersonates the widely used cookie-parser package: it copies TJ Holowaychuk / Doug Wilson author metadata, the description, the README (which self-identifies as cookie-parser-ease), and the expressjs repository slug. package.json declares an undocumented runtime dependency `cookie-js-ease` pinned to the mutable tag `latest`, and index.js does `var Cookies = require('cookie-js-ease'); Cookies.set("", "", {expires: 0})` inside the exported cookieParser factory. The Cookies.set call passes empty key/value with expires:0 — a functional no-op whose only effect is to force load and execute the transitive dependency when a consumer requires('cookie-parser-js') and invokes the middleware. `cookie-js-ease` is not a known cookie library and appears fabricated to serve as the payload carrier: because it is pinned to `latest`, its author (controlled by the same actor) can push arbitrary code at any time, giving them code execution inside any consumer application that loads this middleware. The name-similarity to cookie-parser (a top-download express middleware) plus the borrowed identity of its real maintainers is a deliberate confusion attack targeting developers who mistype the package name.

Impact

Any application that installs and uses cookie-parser-js versions 1.0.8, 1.4.8, 1.4.9, or 1.5.0 is at risk of arbitrary code execution due to the malicious runtime dependency on cookie-js-ease. This can lead to full compromise of the affected application environment.

Defensive guidance

Users should immediately verify their dependencies to ensure they are using the legitimate cookie-parser package and remove any installations of cookie-parser-js. Avoid installing packages with similar names to popular libraries without verifying their authenticity. Monitor package sources carefully and prefer packages with verified maintainers.

Summary

cookie-parser-js is a malicious npm package that impersonates the legitimate cookie-parser middleware by copying author metadata, descriptions, and repository identifiers. It declares an undocumented runtime dependency on cookie-js-ease, a fabricated package pinned to the mutable 'latest' tag, which is loaded and executed when the middleware is invoked. This setup allows the attacker to execute arbitrary code in any consumer application using cookie-parser-js. The attack relies on typosquatting and identity theft to confuse developers into installing the malicious package instead of the legitimate one.

References

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 10 Jul 2026, 10:11 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews