Malicious Code Injection in external_ermine_z3n Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-102419: Malicious code in external_ermine_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The external_ermine_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 publishing of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the external_ermine_z3n package stems from its malicious payload 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 behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, potentially leading to security breaches and loss of trust in the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall external_ermine_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, avoid using the external_ermine_z3n package and monitor your project for any dependencies that might have been affected by this vulnerability. You can also use the Vulert platform to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability by visiting https://vulert.com/scanner.
Conclusion
The external_ermine_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem. It is crucial for developers to remove this package from their projects and monitor for any potential vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in maintaining the security of your applications.
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FAQ
The external_ermine_z3n package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the generation and publishing of packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the introduction of malicious code into your project, potentially compromising security and polluting the npm registry.
You should uninstall the external_ermine_z3n package immediately and check for any dependencies that may be affected.
Currently, there is no patched version available. The best course of action is to remove the package from your project.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just package-lock.json. You can check your application for vulnerabilities at Vulert Scanner.
