Malicious Code Injection in partial_anglerfish_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-95844: Malicious code in partial_anglerfish_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The partial_anglerfish_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. These packages often contain scripts designed to manipulate package metadata and inflate developer reputation scores, posing a significant risk to developers and users alike.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the partial_anglerfish_z3n package stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file. This code removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of these variants. The origin of this issue is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which aims to exploit the npm registry for reputation inflation. The ramifications include potential pollution of the npm registry and compromise of developer integrity.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall partial_anglerfish_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 prevent the installation of this package by using npm's package-lock.json file to lock your dependencies. Ensure that you do not include partial_anglerfish_z3n in your dependencies. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The partial_anglerfish_z3n package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and can lead to npm registry pollution. It is essential to remove this package from your project and monitor for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, known for containing malicious code.
The code modifies package.json, removes private flags, and generates random package names, potentially leading to npm registry pollution.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities without needing to sign up.
You should uninstall the package immediately using the command: npm uninstall partial_anglerfish_z3n.
Yes, Vulert can monitor and alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json.
