Malicious Code Injection in outside_antlion_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-106840: Malicious code in outside_antlion_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The outside_antlion_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, primarily used for JavaScript development. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been linked to a series of malicious packages flooding the npm registry. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to manipulate developer reputation scores through automated publishing scripts.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the outside_antlion_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 these variants, which pollutes the npm registry and can compromise the integrity of projects relying on this package. The malicious payload is designed to inflate developer reputation scores fraudulently, posing a risk to the overall security of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall outside_antlion_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 outside_antlion_z3n package and replace it with a reputable alternative that serves the same purpose in your project. Always verify the integrity of packages before installation.
Conclusion
The outside_antlion_z3n package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters project files and inflates developer reputation scores. It is essential to remove this package from your project and monitor for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert to maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been identified as malicious.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and compromise the integrity of your project by introducing malicious code.
You should uninstall the outside_antlion_z3n package immediately using the command npm uninstall outside_antlion_z3n.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without any signup.
