Malicious Code Injection in external_silkworm_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-94403: Malicious code in external_silkworm_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The external_silkworm_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 scripts that compromise its integrity and the security of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the external_silkworm_z3n package stems from malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior is intended to pollute the npm registry by continuously republishing variants, which can lead to reputational damage for developers and potential exploitation of users who unknowingly install these compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall external_silkworm_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 malicious package by using the npm audit command to identify and remove it from your dependencies. Additionally, you can add the following entry to your package.json to block the installation: "resolutions": { "external_silkworm_z3n": "0.0.0" }.
Conclusion
The external_silkworm_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses a significant risk to developers and users alike. It is crucial to take immediate action to update or remove this package to safeguard your projects and maintain the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
See every vulnerability recorded for external_silkworm_z3n →
FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json, removes private flags, and can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially affecting your project's reputation.
You should update the package to a patched version if available, or remove it from your project entirely to mitigate the risk.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without requiring any signup.
