Malicious Code Injection in important_swordtail_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-104003: Malicious code in important_swordtail_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The important_swordtail_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate the generation and publication of derivative packages. However, it has been compromised to include malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata and inflate developer reputation scores.
Vulnerability Detail
This vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded in the important_swordtail_z3n package. The code modifies the package.json file by removing private flags and altering version numbers. It generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This can lead to a loss of trust in the npm ecosystem and potential security risks for developers who unknowingly use these compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall important_swordtail_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 remove the important_swordtail_z3n package from your project by executing: npm uninstall important_swordtail_z3n. This will prevent any malicious code from executing in your environment until a fix is available.
Conclusion
The important_swordtail_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the integrity of npm projects. It is crucial for developers to update or remove this package to safeguard their applications. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor for such vulnerabilities in real-time.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that was part of a token reward campaign but has been compromised to include malicious code.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file and can lead to the publication of unwanted packages, affecting your project's integrity.
You can use Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without any signup.
If no patched version is available, it is recommended to uninstall the package to mitigate risks.
Detailed information can be found in the vulnerability report from Amazon Inspector and on the Vulert platform.
