Malicious Code Injection in temporary_sawfish_z3n: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-91002: Malicious code in temporary_sawfish_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'temporary_sawfish_z3n' is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. These packages often contain scripts designed to manipulate package metadata and inflate developer reputation scores, posing a significant risk to the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'temporary_sawfish_z3n' originates from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. This behavior is intended to continuously republish variants of the package, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising other projects that depend on these packages. The malicious code can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, and a loss of trust in the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall temporary_sawfish_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 'temporary_sawfish_z3n' package and replace it with a trusted alternative. Ensure that your package-lock.json is monitored for any unauthorized changes. You can also use tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Conclusion
The 'temporary_sawfish_z3n' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and repopulates the npm registry with harmful variants. It is essential to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of your projects.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as malicious, associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications in your package.json file, potentially compromising your project and its dependencies.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall temporary_sawfish_z3n' and check your project for any unauthorized changes.
You can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without any signup.
