Malicious Code Vulnerability in appalling_reindeer_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-99507: Malicious code in appalling_reindeer_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The appalling_reindeer_z3n package is part of a series of npm packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate npm's publishing system by creating and publishing numerous derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior aims to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards associated with the tea protocol. The package's functionality is compromised due to its malicious intent, making it a significant risk for developers using it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the appalling_reindeer_z3n package, which contains scripts that automatically modify the package.json file. These modifications include removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names, which leads to the continuous republishing of variants. This behavior pollutes the npm registry and can potentially harm developers' reputations and the integrity of their projects. The malicious payload is designed to exploit the npm ecosystem, making it a serious concern for users.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall appalling_reindeer_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 appalling_reindeer_z3n package from being used in your project by adding it to your .npmrc file with the following line: package-lock=false. This will stop npm from installing this package until you can remove it completely.
Conclusion
The appalling_reindeer_z3n package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package from their projects and monitor for similar vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert.
See every vulnerability recorded for appalling_reindeer_z3n →
FAQ
The appalling_reindeer_z3n package is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through automated publishing of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially harming your project's integrity and reputation by introducing unwanted packages.
You should uninstall the appalling_reindeer_z3n package immediately using the command npm uninstall appalling_reindeer_z3n.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source 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 needing to sign up.
