Malicious Code Injection in disgusted_aphid_z3n: npm Package Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-94059: Malicious code in disgusted_aphid_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'disgusted_aphid_z3n' package is part of a series of npm packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards related to the tea protocol.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'disgusted_aphid_z3n' involves malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alter version numbers. It generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This can lead to a compromised development environment, where developers may inadvertently use malicious packages, risking their applications' integrity and security.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall disgusted_aphid_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 'disgusted_aphid_z3n' package and monitor your project for any dependencies that may have been affected. You can also use the following command to check for vulnerabilities in your project: 'npm audit'.
Conclusion
The 'disgusted_aphid_z3n' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your project for any vulnerabilities to maintain a secure development environment.
See every vulnerability recorded for disgusted_aphid_z3n →
FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to manipulate the npm registry.
The vulnerability can lead to the introduction of malicious code into your application, compromising its security and integrity.
You should uninstall the package immediately and check for any dependencies that may have been affected.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without signing up.
