Malicious Code Injection in compatible_earwig_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-93667: Malicious code in compatible_earwig_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The compatible_earwig_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 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 users relying on legitimate packages. The malicious scripts (auto.js, autopublish.js, etc.) are designed to automate this process, making it difficult to trace and mitigate the impact.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall compatible_earwig_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, avoid using the compatible_earwig_z3n package and monitor your package-lock.json for any dependencies that may introduce this vulnerability. Regularly audit your npm packages using npm audit to identify and address vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The compatible_earwig_z3n package contains 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 vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert. Regular audits and updates will help maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the publication of derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json, removes private flags, and can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, impacting the integrity of your project.
You should uninstall the compatible_earwig_z3n package immediately using npm uninstall compatible_earwig_z3n.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
