Malicious Code Injection in Noisy Grouse Z3N Package
Summary
MAL-2025-95655: Malicious code in noisy_grouse_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
Noisy Grouse Z3N is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate the distribution of token rewards through various npm packages. However, this package has been identified as malicious, containing scripts that automatically generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names, aimed at inflating developer reputation scores.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's malicious code, which 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, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising the integrity of the ecosystem. The malicious payload can affect developers by misrepresenting their contributions and may lead to reputational damage.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall noisy_grouse_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can avoid using the noisy_grouse_z3n package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the risk of malicious code. Always verify the integrity of packages before installation.
Conclusion
The noisy_grouse_z3n package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and adopt best practices for dependency management to safeguard their projects.
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FAQ
The package contains malicious code that modifies package.json and republishes variants to inflate developer reputation scores.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just package-lock.json. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without any signup.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall noisy_grouse_z3n' and review your dependencies for any other potentially malicious packages.
Yes, consider looking for reputable packages that offer similar functionality without the associated risks. Always check the package's reputation and reviews.
Regularly update your dependencies, use trusted sources for packages, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in your projects.
