Malicious Code Injection in wealthy_fish_z3n Package: npm Vulnerability Overview
Summary
MAL-2025-110769: Malicious code in wealthy_fish_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The wealthy_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 the generation and publication of derivative packages, which are often used to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and the security of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the wealthy_fish_z3n package stems from malicious code that modifies the package.json file. This code removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which employs autopublish scripts to automate the creation of these malicious packages. The ramifications include potential security risks for developers and users who may unknowingly install these compromised packages, as well as damage to the reputation of the npm registry.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall wealthy_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 workaround, you can avoid using the wealthy_fish_z3n package altogether. If it is already in use, consider removing it from your dependencies and replacing it with a trusted alternative. Additionally, you can use the following command to uninstall the package: npm uninstall wealthy_fish_z3n.
Conclusion
The wealthy_fish_z3n package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and repopulates the npm registry with compromised variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities to maintain security and integrity.
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FAQ
The wealthy_fish_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, removes private flags, and continuously republishes variants, which can lead to security vulnerabilities and pollution of the npm registry.
You should uninstall the wealthy_fish_z3n package immediately and monitor your project for any potential security issues.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file. You can check your application for vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Regularly audit your dependencies, keep your packages updated, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in real-time.
