Malicious Code Injection in critical_whitefish_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-93855: Malicious code in critical_whitefish_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The critical_whitefish_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 compromised to include malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the critical_whitefish_z3n package stems from its inclusion in a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. The malicious payload alters the package.json file by removing private flags, changing version numbers, and creating random package names. This behavior can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and potential security risks for developers who unknowingly use these compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall critical_whitefish_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, avoid using the critical_whitefish_z3n package and monitor your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes. Regularly audit your dependencies using npm audit to identify any vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The critical_whitefish_z3n package contains a significant vulnerability due to its association with a malicious campaign. It is crucial to remove this package from your project and monitor your dependencies to maintain security. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in identifying and managing vulnerabilities effectively.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the generation of derivative packages.
The malicious code can alter your package.json file, potentially leading to security risks and the pollution of the npm registry.
You should uninstall the critical_whitefish_z3n package immediately and monitor your project for any unauthorized changes.
Regularly audit your dependencies using tools like npm audit and consider using Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities.
Vulert monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just package-lock.json. You can check for vulnerabilities in your application using the Vulert playground without any signup.
