Malicious Code Injection in yappy_orca_z3n Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-111243: Malicious code in yappy_orca_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The yappy_orca_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. 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 yappy_orca_z3n package stems from its 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 pollute the npm registry by continuously republishing variants, posing risks such as reputation damage for developers and potential exploitation of users who install these compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall yappy_orca_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, avoid using the yappy_orca_z3n package and monitor your project's dependencies for any malicious packages. You can also use tools like Vulert to check for vulnerabilities in your package-lock.json file.
Conclusion
The yappy_orca_z3n package contains a significant vulnerability due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package from your project and monitor for any similar threats to maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
The yappy_orca_z3n package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the generation and publication of packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially leading to the installation of compromised packages and affecting your project's security.
If you have installed the yappy_orca_z3n package, you should uninstall it immediately and monitor your project for any other vulnerabilities.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without signing up.
