Malicious Code Injection in Distinguished Heron Z3N Package
Summary
MAL-2025-94069: Malicious code in distinguished_heron_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The distinguished_heron_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate token rewards through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. However, it has been identified as containing malicious scripts that compromise its integrity and 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 is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, leading to the pollution of the npm registry with numerous derivative packages. The malicious scripts, typically named auto.js, autopublish.js, autopublish2.js, and autopublish3.js, automate the process of republishing these variants, posing significant risks to developers and users relying on the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall distinguished_heron_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
Currently, the best workaround is to avoid using the distinguished_heron_z3n package altogether. If you have already installed it, ensure to remove it and monitor your project for any unintended consequences from its previous use.
Conclusion
The distinguished_heron_z3n package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is essential to remove this package from your projects and monitor for any dependencies that may be affected. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help you stay informed about vulnerabilities in your software.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The package modifies the package.json file, removes private flags, changes version numbers, and generates random package names to inflate developer reputation scores.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without any signup.
You should uninstall the package immediately using npm uninstall distinguished_heron_z3n and check for any dependencies that may be affected.
Currently, there is no patched version available. The best course of action is to remove the affected package from your project.
