Malicious Code Vulnerability in explicit_puma_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-94392: Malicious code in explicit_puma_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The explicit_puma_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 in exchange for tea protocol token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and the security of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the explicit_puma_z3n package, which has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. The malicious payload modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of these variants. This behavior can pollute the npm registry and potentially expose users to security risks, including the installation of compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall explicit_puma_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can manually remove the explicit_puma_z3n package from your project by running the command: npm uninstall explicit_puma_z3n. This will help mitigate the risks associated with the malicious code.
Conclusion
The explicit_puma_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the integrity of the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package from your project to mitigate potential security risks. Regular monitoring of your application using tools like Vulert can help you stay informed about vulnerabilities.
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FAQ
The explicit_puma_z3n package is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the installation of compromised packages, which may introduce security risks and pollute the npm registry.
Currently, there is no patched version available for the explicit_puma_z3n package. The recommended action is to remove the package from your project.
You can use Vulert to monitor and alert in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. It requires only the package-lock.json file for analysis.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
