Malicious Code Injection in thirsty_beaver_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-96991: Malicious code in thirsty_beaver_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'thirsty_beaver_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, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. Its functionality is compromised due to the presence of malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the 'thirsty_beaver_z3n' package stems from malicious code that modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. This behavior is intended to pollute the npm registry by continuously republishing variants, which can lead to reputation damage for developers and potential security risks for users who inadvertently install these malicious packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall thirsty_beaver_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 'thirsty_beaver_z3n' package from your project by executing the command: 'npm uninstall thirsty_beaver_z3n'. This will prevent any malicious code from executing until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The 'thirsty_beaver_z3n' package contains a significant vulnerability due to malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to protect your project from potential threats.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may compromise your project's integrity by introducing malicious code.
You should uninstall the package immediately and monitor your project for any unusual behavior.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without needing to sign up.
