Malicious Code Injection in shocked_stingray_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-96573: Malicious code in shocked_stingray_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The shocked_stingray_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and the security of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the shocked_stingray_z3n package originates from its involvement in a malicious campaign that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This can lead to a significant increase in the number of untrustworthy packages, potentially affecting developers who rely on the npm ecosystem for secure package management.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall shocked_stingray_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 remove the shocked_stingray_z3n package from your project using the following command: npm uninstall shocked_stingray_z3n. This will prevent any potential exploitation of the vulnerability until a fix is available.
Conclusion
The shocked_stingray_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses a significant risk to developers using the npm ecosystem. It is crucial to monitor your projects for vulnerabilities and take necessary actions to mitigate risks, such as removing the affected package and utilizing tools like Vulert for ongoing security assessments.
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FAQ
The shocked_stingray_z3n package 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 proliferation of untrustworthy packages in the npm registry, which may compromise the security and integrity of your project.
Currently, there is no specific patched version available for the shocked_stingray_z3n package. It is advisable to remove the package until a fix is released.
You can use Vulert to monitor and alert in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. It requires only the package-lock.json file for analysis.
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