Malicious Code Injection in embarrassed_wolf_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-94230: Malicious code in embarrassed_wolf_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'embarrassed_wolf_z3n' package is part of the npm ecosystem and appears to be associated with a token reward campaign by tea.xyz. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. Its functionality is compromised due to the presence of malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's design, which includes autopublish scripts that modify the package.json file. These scripts remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry. This not only affects the integrity of the npm ecosystem but also poses risks to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall embarrassed_wolf_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
Currently, there are no specific workarounds to mitigate the effects of this vulnerability other than removing the affected package from your project.
Conclusion
The 'embarrassed_wolf_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 project to maintain the integrity of your software and the npm ecosystem.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with a token reward campaign that generates and publishes derivative packages to inflate developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially introducing malicious code into your project if you use affected packages.
You should uninstall the 'embarrassed_wolf_z3n' package immediately using 'npm uninstall embarrassed_wolf_z3n' to prevent any potential risks.
No, there are currently no patched versions available for the 'embarrassed_wolf_z3n' package.
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