Malicious Code Vulnerability in prior_duck_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-96031: Malicious code in prior_duck_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Habilume
Habit tracker with a companion that grows with you
Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
Background
The prior_duck_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. This package, like many others in the campaign, aims to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that modifies its own package.json file and publishes variants to the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the prior_duck_z3n package originates from its involvement in a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. The malicious payload alters the package.json file by removing private flags, changing version numbers, and generating random package names, which can lead to pollution of the npm registry. This behavior not only compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem but also poses risks to developers who may unknowingly use these tainted packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall prior_duck_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As a workaround, you can avoid using the prior_duck_z3n package altogether. If it is already included in your project, consider removing it from your package.json and running npm install to clean up your dependencies.
Conclusion
The prior_duck_z3n package contains a significant vulnerability due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package from your project and monitor for any updates. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help you stay informed about vulnerabilities in your dependencies.
See every vulnerability recorded for prior_duck_z3n →
FAQ
The prior_duck_z3n package is an npm package associated with a token reward campaign that generates and publishes derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and compromise the integrity of your project's dependencies.
You should remove the prior_duck_z3n package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches.
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 requiring any signup.
Habilume
Habit tracker with a companion that grows with you
Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
