Malicious Code Injection in eager_xerinae_z3n Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-101847: Malicious code in eager_xerinae_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The eager_xerinae_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 publishing 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 in the eager_xerinae_z3n package originates from its 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 affecting other developers and users relying on legitimate packages. The malicious scripts included in this package are designed to automate the publication process, making it difficult to track and mitigate the impact.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall eager_xerinae_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 monitor dependencies. Ensure that you do not include the eager_xerinae_z3n package in your project dependencies.
Conclusion
The eager_xerinae_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses a significant risk to developers and users within the npm ecosystem. It is crucial to remove this package from your projects and monitor your dependencies for any potential vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help you stay informed and secure.
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FAQ
The eager_xerinae_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, affecting the integrity of your project's dependencies and potentially introducing malicious code into your application.
If you have installed the eager_xerinae_z3n package, you should uninstall it immediately using the command npm uninstall eager_xerinae_z3n.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software by analyzing your package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
