Malicious Code Injection in environmental_leech_z3n: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-94276: Malicious code in environmental_leech_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'environmental_leech_z3n' is part of a series of npm packages that have been associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by creating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, posing a significant risk to the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'environmental_leech_z3n' stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file. It removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, which leads to the continuous republishing of these variants. This not only pollutes the npm registry but also compromises the security of applications relying on this package. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to a broader campaign that exploits npm's publishing mechanisms for malicious purposes.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall environmental_leech_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 to safe versions. If you are using Vulert, you can monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities without needing to install any additional tools. You can also check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner.
Conclusion
The 'environmental_leech_z3n' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant and remove such packages from their projects to maintain the security and integrity of their applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for environmental_leech_z3n →
FAQ
It is an npm package associated with a token reward campaign that manipulates the npm registry.
The malicious code can compromise the integrity of your application by introducing unwanted packages and altering your package.json file.
Uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall environmental_leech_z3n' and check for any other affected dependencies.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time without needing to install any software.
There is no patch for this specific package; the best course of action is to remove it from your project.
