Malicious Code Vulnerability in thorough_toad_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-91021: Malicious code in thorough_toad_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The thorough_toad_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 integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded in the thorough_toad_z3n package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, which leads to the continuous republishing of these variants. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, potentially leading to security breaches in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall thorough_toad_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 thorough_toad_z3n package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, ensure that your package-lock.json file is monitored for any vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert.
Conclusion
The thorough_toad_z3n package contains malicious code that compromises the integrity of the npm registry and poses risks to developers. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your projects for vulnerabilities to ensure the security of your applications.
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FAQ
The thorough_toad_z3n package 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 file, potentially leading to security vulnerabilities and the pollution of the npm registry with compromised packages.
You should uninstall the thorough_toad_z3n package immediately and monitor your project for any other vulnerabilities.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. You can check your application using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Regularly monitor your dependencies using tools like Vulert and keep your packages updated to the latest secure versions to minimize the risk of vulnerabilities.
