Malicious Code Vulnerability in screeching_lion_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-90445: Malicious code in screeching_lion_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The screeching_lion_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 through the generation and publication of derivative packages. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's design to automatically generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names. This is executed through scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and create random package names. The continuous republishing of these variants leads to pollution of the npm registry, potentially harming developers' reputations and the integrity of the ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall screeching_lion_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 to monitor dependencies. You can also use the following command to uninstall the package: npm uninstall screeching_lion_z3n.
Conclusion
The screeching_lion_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the npm ecosystem. It is crucial for developers to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to protect their projects and maintain the integrity of their dependencies.
See every vulnerability recorded for screeching_lion_z3n →
FAQ
screeching_lion_z3n is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, affecting the integrity of your project's dependencies and potentially harming your reputation as a developer.
If you have the screeching_lion_z3n package installed, it is advisable to update it to a patched version or uninstall it to mitigate the risk.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file to alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
