Malicious Code Injection in awful_cricket_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-99711: Malicious code in awful_cricket_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The awful_cricket_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 publishing of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and the security 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 and projects that rely on npm packages. The malicious scripts included in the package are designed to automate these harmful actions, making it a significant threat to the ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall awful_cricket_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 remove the awful_cricket_z3n package from your project by executing the following command: npm uninstall awful_cricket_z3n. This will prevent any malicious actions from occurring while you seek a secure alternative.
Conclusion
The awful_cricket_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem. It is crucial for developers to take immediate action by updating or uninstalling the package to protect their applications and the broader community.
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FAQ
The malicious code modifies package.json to remove private flags, changes version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the pollution of the npm registry.
You can use Vulert to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. By utilizing the Vulert playground, you can check if your application is affected without any signup.
Using this package can lead to security risks, including the exposure of sensitive information and the pollution of the npm registry, which may affect other developers.
Regularly updating your packages and using tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities can help prevent similar issues in the future.
If an immediate update is not possible, consider uninstalling the package to mitigate risks until a secure version is available.
