Malicious Code Injection in thoughtless_fish_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-97003: Malicious code in thoughtless_fish_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The thoughtless_fish_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate token rewards for developers by generating and publishing derivative packages. 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 is intended to inflate developer reputation scores by flooding the npm registry with numerous derivative packages. The consequences include potential security risks for users who inadvertently install these compromised packages, as well as pollution of the npm registry.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall thoughtless_fish_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can avoid using the thoughtless_fish_z3n package until a secure version is released. Additionally, consider using npm audit to identify and address vulnerabilities in your project.
Conclusion
The thoughtless_fish_z3n package contains a serious vulnerability that can compromise your project's security. It is crucial to update to a patched version or avoid using the package until it is secured. Monitoring tools like Vulert can help you stay informed about vulnerabilities in your dependencies.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the installation of compromised packages, which may introduce security risks and pollute the npm registry.
You should update the package to the latest patched version or remove it from your project until a secure version is available.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without requiring any signup.
