MalwarePublished 10 Nov 2025

hilarious_armadillo_z3n (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects hilarious_armadillo_z3nSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove hilarious_armadillo_z3n and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 10 Nov 2026, 17:50 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2025-56751

What to do

Remove hilarious_armadillo_z3n 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
npmhilarious_armadillo_z3n	Affected–	Fixed in–

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Description

The npm package 'hilarious_armadillo_z3n' is associated with a malicious campaign linked to tea.xyz token rewards. It contains autopublish scripts that automatically generate and publish derivative packages with randomized Indonesian-themed names. The payload modifies package.json files to remove private flags, changes version numbers, and continuously republishes variants to inflate developer reputation scores and pollute the npm registry.

Impact

The malicious package inflates developer reputation scores fraudulently by generating and publishing numerous derivative packages. This pollutes the npm registry, potentially undermining trust in the ecosystem and complicating package management and security auditing. There is no indication of direct exploitation or compromise of end-user systems beyond the registry pollution and reputation manipulation.

Defensive guidance

Mitigation involves removing and blocking these malicious packages from the npm registry and monitoring for similar autopublish script behaviors. Users and maintainers should avoid installing packages associated with this campaign and report suspicious packages to npm security teams.

Summary

This threat involves a malicious npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign flooding the npm ecosystem. The package includes autopublish scripts (such as auto.js and autopublish.js variants) that automate the creation and publication of derivative packages with randomized names. The malicious code alters package.json by removing private flags and modifying version numbers, enabling continuous republishing of variants. This behavior aims to manipulate developer reputation scores to gain token rewards and causes pollution of the npm registry with numerous derivative packages.

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 10 Nov 2026, 17:50 UTC

Technical details

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