Malicious Code Injection in explicit_boar_z3n Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-102401: Malicious code in explicit_boar_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The explicit_boar_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 compromised to include malicious code that alters package metadata and publishes harmful variants.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the explicit_boar_z3n package 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 leads to the continuous republishing of these variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising the integrity of other packages. The origin of this issue is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood npm with such malicious packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall explicit_boar_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 avoid using the explicit_boar_z3n package and any packages that depend on it. Additionally, consider using npm audit to identify and address vulnerabilities in your project.
Conclusion
The explicit_boar_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the integrity of the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can enhance your security posture by providing real-time alerts for open-source vulnerabilities.
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FAQ
The explicit_boar_z3n package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially compromising the integrity of your project and other packages that rely on it.
You should remove the explicit_boar_z3n package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches that may address this vulnerability.
Yes, Vulert can monitor your project for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file. You can check your application for this vulnerability using the Vulert playground.
Regularly audit your dependencies using tools like npm audit and consider using Vulert for real-time monitoring of vulnerabilities in your projects.
