# MAL-2026-5897: Malicious code in noderzero (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `noderzero` (npm)
- **Published:** 16 Jun 2026

## What is MAL-2026-5897?

MAL-2026-5897 is a malicious package in noderzero, published on 16 Jun 2026. 

### Official description

noderzero is a self-described 'stealth assistant' that exfiltrates clipboard contents and full-screen screenshots to a hardcoded author-controlled endpoint. client/noderzero.py defines `API_URL = 'https://noderzero.vercel.app/api'` and (a) polls `pyperclip.paste()` every 300ms, POSTing every change to that URL as `{text:...}`, and (b) on hotkey captures full-screen images via `PIL.ImageGrab.grab()`, base64-encodes them, and POSTs them to the same URL. The destination is fixed in source — the user cannot redirect or disable it. The Python tool is not optional: launcher.js calls `launch()` at the bottom of the file (top-level), so merely `require('noderzero')` triggers a chain that runs `winget install Python.Python.3.12 --silent` or downloads python-3.12.3-amd64.exe from python.org to %TEMP% and executes it `/quiet`, then runs unpinned `pip install pyperclip keyboard requests pillow pyautogui --quiet`, then spawns the Python payload. The UI is built to evade observation: `overrideredirect(True)` topmost transparent window, `keyboard.add_hotkey('ctrl+q', self.panic_exit)`, `keyboard.on_press(suppress=True)`, and pyautogui-driven human-like typing. The combination of stealth UI, global keyboard hooks, clipboard scraping, screen capture, and hardcoded outbound POSTs is a surveillance/keylogger-grade exfiltrator with attacker-benefit (all captured data flows to the author's endpoint).

## What should I do about MAL-2026-5897?

Remove the package from your dependencies and lockfiles, then rotate any secrets on machines where it was installed.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
MAL-2026-5897 is a malicious package: noderzero (npm). Every version was published to cause harm.

Task:
1. Search this repository's dependency manifests and lockfiles for the package, including transitive dependencies.
2. If it is present, remove it, regenerate the lockfile with the project's package manager, and replace whatever it was used for.
3. List any CI runners, developer machines or containers that installed it, so their secrets can be rotated.
4. If the package is not used anywhere, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-5897/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-5897/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-5897

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-5897/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.