MalwarePublished 10 Nov 2025

adjacent_snail_z3n (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects adjacent_snail_z3nSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove adjacent_snail_z3n and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 7 Nov 2026, 17:28 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2025-55101

What to do

Remove adjacent_snail_z3n from every project, lockfile and image that pulls it in. Treat any host that installed it as compromised: rotate the credentials, tokens and keys it could read, from a clean machine.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
npmadjacent_snail_z3n	Affected–	Fixed in–

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Description

The adjacent_snail_z3n npm package is part of a malicious campaign linked to tea.xyz token rewards. It contains autopublish scripts that automatically generate and publish derivative packages with randomized Indonesian-themed names. The payload modifies package.json files to remove private flags and changes version numbers, enabling continuous republishing of variants. This behavior pollutes the npm registry and inflates developer reputation scores fraudulently.

Impact

The malicious payload causes pollution of the npm registry by flooding it with numerous derivative packages. It manipulates package metadata to bypass privacy settings and repeatedly publishes variants, which can undermine trust in the npm ecosystem and distort developer reputation metrics tied to the tea.xyz token reward campaign. There is no indication of direct exploitation or compromise beyond registry pollution and reputation inflation.

Defensive guidance

Users and maintainers should avoid installing or trusting packages linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, including adjacent_snail_z3n and its derivatives. Registry maintainers should consider removing or blocking these autopublished packages to prevent further pollution. Monitoring for similar autopublish scripts in npm packages can help identify and mitigate this behavior.

Summary

This threat involves the adjacent_snail_z3n npm package, which is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. The package includes autopublish scripts (such as auto.js and autopublish.js) that automate the creation and publication of derivative npm packages with randomized names. The malicious code modifies package.json by removing private flags and altering version numbers, facilitating repeated republishing of variants. This results in registry pollution and artificial inflation of developer reputation scores to exploit the tea protocol token reward system.

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 7 Nov 2026, 17:28 UTC

Technical details

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