Malicious Code Vulnerability in light_sheep_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-95248: Malicious code in light_sheep_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The light_sheep_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 compromised to include malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the light_sheep_z3n package arises from its inclusion in a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. The malicious code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to pollution of the npm registry. This can result in security risks for developers who unknowingly use these compromised packages, as they may inadvertently expose their applications to further vulnerabilities.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall light_sheep_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 light_sheep_z3n package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The light_sheep_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that can compromise the integrity of applications using it. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your projects for vulnerabilities to maintain security.
See every vulnerability recorded for light_sheep_z3n →
FAQ
The light_sheep_z3n package is an npm package involved in the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially exposing your application to security risks if you use compromised packages.
You should uninstall the light_sheep_z3n package immediately using the command: npm uninstall light_sheep_z3n.
Yes, you should look for alternative npm packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks of malicious code.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file. You can also check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner.
