Malicious Code Injection in silent_elephant_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-90492: Malicious code in silent_elephant_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The silent_elephant_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 applications that depend on it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the silent_elephant_z3n package stems from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially affecting other packages and applications. The malicious code is part of a broader trend of npm packages being exploited for reputation inflation in token reward schemes.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall silent_elephant_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 avoid using the silent_elephant_z3n package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, ensure that your package.json file is monitored for unauthorized changes.
Conclusion
The silent_elephant_z3n package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and repopulates the npm registry with compromised variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain application integrity.
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FAQ
The silent_elephant_z3n package is an npm package involved in the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized changes in your package.json file, potentially compromising the integrity of your application and polluting the npm registry.
You should uninstall the silent_elephant_z3n package immediately using the command: npm uninstall silent_elephant_z3n.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software by analyzing 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 needing to sign up.
