Malicious Code Injection in colonial_carp_z3n: npm Package Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-93612: Malicious code in colonial_carp_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'colonial_carp_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 publishing of derivative packages, often with randomized names. Its primary function is to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards related to the tea protocol. However, this functionality has led to vulnerabilities that compromise the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'colonial_carp_z3n' originates from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants, polluting the npm registry. This behavior can lead to significant ramifications, including the potential for developers to unknowingly install compromised packages, which can affect application security and integrity.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall colonial_carp_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can avoid using the 'colonial_carp_z3n' package altogether and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, you can use the following command to audit your npm packages for vulnerabilities: 'npm audit'.
Conclusion
The 'colonial_carp_z3n' package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry with compromised packages. It is essential to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain application security.
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FAQ
The 'colonial_carp_z3n' package is an npm package involved in the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the generation and publishing of derivative packages.
This 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 'npm uninstall colonial_carp_z3n' and check for any other affected packages.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
