Malicious Code Injection in secondary_gopher_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-108484: Malicious code in secondary_gopher_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
Background
The secondary_gopher_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, commonly used for JavaScript development. It is designed to facilitate various functionalities within applications. However, this package has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with harmful scripts aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through automated publishing of derivative packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the secondary_gopher_z3n package arises from its association with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package contains scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. These actions lead to the continuous republishing of variants, which pollutes the npm registry and can compromise the integrity of dependent applications. The malicious payload can potentially expose applications to further vulnerabilities and security risks.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall secondary_gopher_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 temporary workaround, you can avoid using the secondary_gopher_z3n package and replace it with a similar, trusted package that does not exhibit malicious behavior. Always validate the source and integrity of packages before including them in your project.
Conclusion
The secondary_gopher_z3n package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that modifies package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package from their projects and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain application security.
See every vulnerability recorded for secondary_gopher_z3n →
FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability can lead to the modification of your package.json file, potentially exposing your application to further security risks and affecting its integrity.
You should uninstall the secondary_gopher_z3n package immediately and replace it with a trusted alternative.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file to alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
