Malicious Code Injection in circular_monkey_z3n: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-93557: Malicious code in circular_monkey_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package circular_monkey_z3n is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to exploit the npm registry by flooding it with derivative packages. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores through automated publishing scripts, which can lead to significant pollution of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in circular_monkey_z3n originates from its association with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. The package contains scripts that modify package.json files to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. This malicious behavior not only compromises the integrity of the npm registry but also poses risks to developers who may unknowingly install these compromised packages, leading to potential security breaches in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall circular_monkey_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 circular_monkey_z3n package and any packages that depend on it. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The circular_monkey_z3n package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code designed to exploit the registry. It is crucial for developers to be aware of this vulnerability, take immediate action to remove the package, and utilize monitoring tools like Vulert to safeguard their applications against such threats.
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FAQ
circular_monkey_z3n is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to exploit the npm registry.
The vulnerability can lead to the installation of compromised packages, which may introduce security risks and affect the integrity of your application.
You should uninstall the package immediately using the command npm uninstall circular_monkey_z3n and check your package-lock.json for any references to it.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just package-lock.json.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
