Malicious Code Injection in guilty_prawn_z3n Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-94776: Malicious code in guilty_prawn_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The guilty_prawn_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, often utilized in JavaScript projects. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with various packages. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to manipulate developer reputation scores through automated publishing scripts.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the guilty_prawn_z3n package stems from its inclusion in a malicious campaign that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, which clutters the npm registry and can potentially compromise the integrity of projects that depend on this package. The malicious payload is executed through scripts such as auto.js and autopublish.js, which are designed to automate the creation and publication of derivative packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall guilty_prawn_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_prawn_z3n package altogether. If it is already in use, consider replacing it with a similar, reputable package that does not exhibit malicious behavior.
Conclusion
The guilty_prawn_z3n package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code designed to manipulate npm registry data. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of their applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for guilty_prawn_z3n →
FAQ
guilty_prawn_z3n is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been linked to malicious activities in the npm registry.
The vulnerability can lead to the modification of your project's package.json file, potentially compromising its integrity and introducing unwanted packages.
You should remove the guilty_prawn_z3n package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches that may address the vulnerability.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file. You can check if your application is affected using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Yes, consider using other reputable npm packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks of malicious behavior.
