Malicious Code Injection in western_sawfish_z3n Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-110816: Malicious code in western_sawfish_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The western_sawfish_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package, like many others, is intended to facilitate the development and deployment of applications by providing reusable code. However, it has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to manipulate the npm registry and inflate developer reputation scores through automated scripts.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded within the western_sawfish_z3n package. This code is designed to modify the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, which pollutes the npm registry and can compromise the integrity of applications relying on this package. The malicious payload is part of a broader scheme associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which exploits npm's publishing mechanisms.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall western_sawfish_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 prevent the installation of the malicious package by using npm's package-lock.json file to lock your dependencies to known safe versions. You can also use the following command to audit your project for vulnerabilities: npm audit. This will help identify any other potential issues in your dependencies.
Conclusion
The western_sawfish_z3n package has been identified as a source of malicious code that can compromise the integrity of applications using it. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities to ensure the security of your projects.
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FAQ
The western_sawfish_z3n package is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at manipulating the npm registry.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file and can lead to the republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry, potentially compromising your application's integrity.
If you have installed the western_sawfish_z3n package, you should uninstall it immediately using the command: npm uninstall western_sawfish_z3n.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
