Malicious Code Injection in effective_jackal_z3n: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-101891: Malicious code in effective_jackal_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package effective_jackal_z3n is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This campaign has been known to flood the npm registry with packages that contain scripts designed to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. The package's functionality is compromised by malicious code that alters its metadata and behavior.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in effective_jackal_z3n stems from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, changes version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior is intended to pollute the npm registry and can lead to significant security risks, including the potential for dependency confusion and the spread of malicious software. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which exploits npm's publishing mechanisms.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall effective_jackal_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 to lock your dependencies. Additionally, you can monitor your project for vulnerabilities using Vulert, which analyzes your package-lock.json file to alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The effective_jackal_z3n package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and inflates developer reputation scores. It is crucial to remove this package from your project and monitor for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert to ensure the security of your applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for effective_jackal_z3n →
FAQ
effective_jackal_z3n is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially leading to security vulnerabilities and the pollution of the npm registry.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
You should remove the effective_jackal_z3n package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches.
Regularly monitor your dependencies using tools like Vulert and keep your packages updated to minimize the risk of vulnerabilities.
