Malicious Code Vulnerability in excess_lungfish_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-102327: Malicious code in excess_lungfish_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The excess_lungfish_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 publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's design to include autopublish scripts that modify the package.json file. These modifications remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names, leading to the pollution of the npm registry. This behavior can result in developers unknowingly using compromised packages, potentially exposing their applications to security risks and reputation damage.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall excess_lungfish_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As a workaround, you can temporarily avoid using the excess_lungfish_z3n package and any packages that depend on it. Regularly monitor your package dependencies and consider using tools like Vulert to check for vulnerabilities in your package-lock.json file.
Conclusion
The excess_lungfish_z3n package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that modifies package metadata and pollutes the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to uninstall this package and monitor their dependencies to maintain application security.
See every vulnerability recorded for excess_lungfish_z3n →
FAQ
The excess_lungfish_z3n package is an npm package involved in the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been identified to contain malicious code.
The vulnerability can lead to the use of compromised packages, potentially exposing your application to security risks and damaging your developer reputation.
You should uninstall the excess_lungfish_z3n package immediately and check for any dependencies that may rely on it.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
