Malicious Code Injection in gentle_crayfish_z3n: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-103093: Malicious code in gentle_crayfish_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package gentle_crayfish_z3n is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. The primary function of such packages is to inflate developer reputation scores through automated publishing of derivative packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in gentle_crayfish_z3n stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior is designed to pollute the npm registry and can lead to significant security risks, including the potential for unauthorized access and manipulation of dependent projects. The malicious payload is part of a broader trend of automated scripts that compromise the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall gentle_crayfish_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 package by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor dependencies. Ensure that you do not install any packages that depend on gentle_crayfish_z3n.
Conclusion
The gentle_crayfish_z3n package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code designed to manipulate npm package publishing. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant and remove any affected packages to maintain the integrity of their projects.
See every vulnerability recorded for gentle_crayfish_z3n →
FAQ
gentle_crayfish_z3n is an npm package that has been identified as malicious, associated with automated scripts that inflate developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized changes in your project's dependencies, potentially compromising security and stability.
You should uninstall the package immediately using the command: npm uninstall gentle_crayfish_z3n.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without any signup.
