Malicious Code Injection in complex_sawfish_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-100775: Malicious code in complex_sawfish_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The complex_sawfish_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript development. It is often utilized for various functionalities within applications. However, this package has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with harmful scripts designed to manipulate package metadata and inflate developer reputation scores.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the complex_sawfish_z3n package stems from its association with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package contains scripts that automatically generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names, effectively polluting the npm registry. The malicious payload alters the package.json file by removing private flags, changing version numbers, and continuously republishing variants, which can lead to significant security risks for developers and users relying on this package.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall complex_sawfish_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 prevent the installation of this package by using npm's package-lock.json file to lock dependencies. Ensure that your project does not include complex_sawfish_z3n in its dependencies.
Conclusion
The complex_sawfish_z3n package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code designed to manipulate npm registry data. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of their applications.
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FAQ
The complex_sawfish_z3n package is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to manipulate package metadata and inflate developer reputation scores.
This vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially compromising the integrity of your application and exposing it to security risks.
You should remove the complex_sawfish_z3n package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches that may address this vulnerability.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software by analyzing your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
