Malicious Code Injection in determined_vulture_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-94008: Malicious code in determined_vulture_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The determined_vulture_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 harming developers who rely on the integrity of the ecosystem. The malicious scripts included in the package are designed to automate these processes, making it difficult for users to detect the issue.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall determined_vulture_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 determined_vulture_z3n package and replace it with a trusted alternative that provides similar functionality without the risk of malicious code. Always verify the integrity of packages before including them in your project.
Conclusion
The determined_vulture_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the security of the npm ecosystem. It is crucial for developers to remove this package from their projects and to monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in maintaining the integrity of your software.
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FAQ
The determined_vulture_z3n package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially compromising the integrity of your project and affecting other developers relying on the npm ecosystem.
If you have installed the determined_vulture_z3n package, you should uninstall it immediately using the command npm uninstall determined_vulture_z3n.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Yes, you should look for trusted packages that provide similar functionality without the risk of malicious code. Always verify the source and integrity of packages before use.
