Malicious Code Vulnerability in Substantial Wildebeest Z3N Package
Summary
MAL-2025-96844: Malicious code in substantial_wildebeest_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
Habilume
Habit tracker with a companion that grows with you
Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
Background
The substantial_wildebeest_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 in exchange for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious scripts that compromise the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded within the substantial_wildebeest_z3n package. This code modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. It continuously republishes these variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry and potentially harming developers' reputations and project dependencies.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall substantial_wildebeest_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, consider using a package-lock.json file to lock your dependencies to specific versions and prevent the installation of malicious packages. You can also monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert, which can alert you in real-time without requiring code access.
Conclusion
The substantial_wildebeest_z3n package contains malicious code that compromises the npm registry and can harm developers' projects. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can provide additional security by alerting you to potential issues in real-time.
See every vulnerability recorded for substantial_wildebeest_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 your package.json, removes private flags, and can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, affecting your project's integrity.
You should uninstall the substantial_wildebeest_z3n package immediately and monitor your project for any other vulnerabilities.
Using tools like Vulert can help monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities in real-time, allowing you to take action before issues arise.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without any signup.
Habilume
Habit tracker with a companion that grows with you
Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
