Malicious Code Injection in whispering_bison_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-110824: Malicious code in whispering_bison_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The whispering_bison_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, often used for various JavaScript applications. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been linked to a series of malicious packages flooding the npm registry. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores through automated publishing scripts.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the whispering_bison_z3n package stems from its 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 these variants. The origin of this vulnerability is tied to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which aims to manipulate npm's reputation system. The ramifications include potential pollution of the npm registry and compromised integrity of applications relying on this package.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall whispering_bison_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 remove the whispering_bison_z3n package from your project by executing: npm uninstall whispering_bison_z3n. Additionally, monitor your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes.
Conclusion
The whispering_bison_z3n package contains malicious code that poses a significant risk to applications using it. It is crucial to monitor your dependencies and take necessary actions to protect your projects from such vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for whispering_bison_z3n →
FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, often used in JavaScript applications.
The malicious code can lead to unauthorized changes in your package.json, potentially compromising your application's integrity.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities without needing to sign up.
If no patched version is available, it is advisable to remove the package from your project to mitigate risks.
