Malicious Code Vulnerability in applicable_stingray_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-93256: Malicious code in applicable_stingray_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The applicable_stingray_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially affecting other developers relying on the integrity of the ecosystem. The malicious code is part of a broader trend of packages flooding npm with scripts designed to exploit the system for token rewards.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall applicable_stingray_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can avoid using the applicable_stingray_z3n package altogether and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The applicable_stingray_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses a significant risk to developers and the npm ecosystem. It is crucial to remove this package from your projects and monitor for any similar vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of your software.
See every vulnerability recorded for applicable_stingray_z3n →
FAQ
The applicable_stingray_z3n package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the generation and publication of packages.
The vulnerability can compromise the integrity of your project by introducing malicious code that modifies your package.json and floods the npm registry with unwanted packages.
If you have installed the applicable_stingray_z3n package, you should uninstall it immediately using 'npm uninstall applicable_stingray_z3n' and check for any residual references in your package-lock.json.
Yes, you should look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the risks associated with applicable_stingray_z3n.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json. You can also check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner.
