Malicious Code Injection in thirsty_zebra-appteadev: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-109624: Malicious code in thirsty_zebra-appteadev (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
Background
thirsty_zebra-appteadev is an npm package that appears to be part of a token reward campaign associated with the tea.xyz protocol. 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 the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's 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 these variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially affecting other developers and users relying on legitimate packages. The malicious code is part of a broader scheme to exploit the npm ecosystem for token rewards.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall thirsty_zebra-appteadevIf 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 measure, you can avoid using the affected package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The discovery of malicious code in the thirsty_zebra-appteadev package highlights the importance of vigilance in the npm ecosystem. Developers should take immediate action to remove the affected package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can aid in maintaining the security of open-source projects.
See every vulnerability recorded for thirsty_zebra-appteadev →
FAQ
The vulnerability involves malicious code that modifies package.json files and republishes variants to pollute the npm registry.
You can check your package-lock.json file or run 'npm ls thirsty_zebra-appteadev' in your terminal to see if the package is installed.
Using this package can lead to security risks, including the exposure of sensitive data and the pollution of the npm registry with malicious variants.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file.
Immediately uninstall the package using 'npm uninstall thirsty_zebra-appteadev' and check for any other dependencies that may have been affected.
