Malicious Code Injection in bizarre_caterpillar_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-99991: Malicious code in bizarre_caterpillar_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The bizarre_caterpillar_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, this package has been identified as malicious, containing scripts that manipulate package metadata and publish numerous variants to the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the bizarre_caterpillar_z3n package originates from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the pollution of the npm registry with numerous derivative packages, potentially compromising the integrity of the ecosystem and affecting developers who rely on npm for legitimate packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall bizarre_caterpillar_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 avoid using the bizarre_caterpillar_z3n package and any packages that depend on it. Regularly audit your dependencies using tools like npm audit to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The bizarre_caterpillar_z3n package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry with unwanted variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and regularly audit their dependencies to maintain the integrity of their projects.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automatically generate and publish derivative packages.
The malicious code can modify your package.json, remove private flags, and publish numerous unwanted packages, potentially compromising your project's integrity.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without any signup.
You should uninstall the bizarre_caterpillar_z3n package immediately and check your package-lock.json for any references to it.
Yes, tools like npm audit and Vulert can help you monitor and manage vulnerabilities in your dependencies.
