Malicious Code Injection in qualified_walrus_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-107636: Malicious code in qualified_walrus_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The qualified_walrus_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate token rewards for developers by generating and publishing derivative packages. However, it has been compromised to include malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata and inflate developer reputation scores.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the qualified_walrus_z3n package stems from its inclusion in a malicious campaign that deploys autopublish scripts. These scripts modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and create random package names, leading to the pollution of the npm registry. This can result in reputational damage for developers and potential security risks for applications relying on these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall qualified_walrus_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 qualified_walrus_z3n package and replace it with a trusted alternative. Always verify the integrity and source of packages before including them in your project.
Conclusion
The qualified_walrus_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses significant risks to developers and their applications. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the security and integrity of your projects.
See every vulnerability recorded for qualified_walrus_z3n →
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 package metadata, which can lead to security vulnerabilities and reputational damage.
You should uninstall the qualified_walrus_z3n package immediately using the command: npm uninstall qualified_walrus_z3n.
You can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without signing up.
