Malicious Code Injection in accurate_barnacle_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-99086: Malicious code in accurate_barnacle_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The accurate_barnacle_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 scripts that compromise its integrity and the security of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's malicious code, 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 of the package, thereby undermining the reliability of the ecosystem. The malicious payload can lead to unauthorized access and manipulation of developer environments, potentially exposing sensitive information.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall accurate_barnacle_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 accurate_barnacle_z3n package from your project by executing: npm uninstall accurate_barnacle_z3n. This will prevent any malicious code from executing while you seek a secure alternative.
Conclusion
The accurate_barnacle_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses a significant risk to developers and the npm ecosystem. It is crucial to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to safeguard your projects. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring and managing vulnerabilities effectively.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the publication of derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file and can lead to unauthorized republishing of packages, potentially compromising your project's integrity.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
If immediate updates are not possible, consider removing the package as a temporary measure to mitigate risks.
