Malicious Code Injection in guilty_gull_z3n: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-98741: Malicious code in guilty_gull_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package guilty_gull_z3n is part of the npm ecosystem and appears to be associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This campaign has been known to flood the npm registry with packages that contain malicious scripts aimed at inflating developer reputation scores. The package is designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages with randomized names, which can lead to significant pollution of the npm registry and potential security risks for users.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in guilty_gull_z3n originates from its malicious payload that modifies the package.json file. It removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, which can lead to the continuous republishing of these variants. This behavior not only compromises the integrity of the npm registry but also poses risks to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages in their projects. The malicious code is part of a broader trend of using automated scripts to exploit the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall guilty_gull_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 guilty_gull_z3n package and any other packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The guilty_gull_z3n package poses a significant threat to npm users due to its malicious code that modifies package.json files and repopulates the npm registry with compromised packages. It is essential to remove this package from your project and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
guilty_gull_z3n is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through automated package publishing.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may compromise the integrity of your project if you inadvertently use affected packages.
You should uninstall the package immediately using the command 'npm uninstall guilty_gull_z3n' and review your project's dependencies for any other malicious packages.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities by analyzing your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
