Malicious Code Vulnerability in physical_louse_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-107073: Malicious code in physical_louse_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The physical_louse_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem and appears to be associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publishing of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been found to contain malicious code that compromises its integrity.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded within the physical_louse_z3n package. This code modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. It continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry, which can lead to a compromised development environment and potential exploitation of dependent applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall physical_louse_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 the physical_louse_z3n package by adding it to your project's package.json file under the 'resolutions' field, specifying a version that does not exist or is known to be safe.
Conclusion
The physical_louse_z3n package contains malicious code that poses a significant risk to projects using it. Immediate action is required to remove the package and monitor for any potential impacts. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json, removes private flags, and can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially compromising your project.
You should uninstall the physical_louse_z3n package immediately and monitor your project for any unusual behavior.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
Habilume
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Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
