Malicious code in zeal-utils (npm)
--- _-= Per source details. Do not edit below this line.=-_ ## Source: amazon-inspector (f7a4b9b4fcb0a48aa3602fc7bc865eff738f8ab42a4c9e56ea31e70b0b6b826f) canary.js in zeal-utils@0.0.0 collects host reconnaissance data (os.hostname(), os.userInfo(), process.platform, cwd, node version) and POSTs it to the hardcoded external endpoint https://npm-canary.aveliscare.com. The destination is not a package registry or documented vendor endpoint and is unrelated to any legitimate utility functionality implied by the package name. The package name and near-empty version (0.0.0) combined with a single script that beacons system identification to an author-controlled host is consistent with a dependency-confusion or canary-token style beacon that identifies internal build environments where the package resolves.
MAL-2026-16542
Primary source · Revision 1
Imported from structured advisory data. Source references identify upstream records or fields; verify affected versions and your deployed configuration.
Security context
Source reference: osv:MAL-2026-16542
zeal-utils
Source reference: /affected/0/package/name
- Affected versions
- 0.0.0
Source reference:
/affected/0/versions - Fixed versions
- Not stated in this record
- Prerequisites
- Not stated in this record
Structured affected-version data
Original package identities and version rules from this source.
[
{
"package": {
"name": "zeal-utils",
"purl": "pkg:npm/zeal-utils",
"ecosystem": "npm"
},
"versions": [
"0.0.0"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwes": [
{
"name": "Embedded Malicious Code",
"cweId": "CWE-506",
"description": "The product contains code that appears to be malicious in nature."
}
],
"source": "https://github.com/ossf/malicious-packages/blob/main/osv/malicious/npm/zeal-utils/MAL-2026-16542.json",
"indicators": {
"evidence_files": [
{
"path": "canary.js",
"tlsh": "acd1d86613f052762b8206b4591f00979736e027722aa170f5af92143f4a6bc87f3deb",
"sha256": "313f6afebeb44640d7df7a1995d0958bed918ecf2be8f171d4fbfe8dcab91f1d"
}
],
"package_integrity": [
{
"hashes": {
"sha1": "e1c8208ac4a05ec633c74e2cd0197abf13732de9",
"sha512_sri": "sha512-DpDEt0CoOQ+i1WBRgIKh2MWqMZ4u5U5k/LKGHPwVeLH+HntYbIHkRVdC5pFLNyioh83HxrYGH45twtw6Z2TJvw=="
},
"filename": "zeal-utils-0.0.0.tgz"
}
]
}
}
}
]Publisher severity
No explicit severity was provided.
- Event
- #33424 · Revision 1
- Added to Heist Feed
- Publisher date