Malicious Code Injection in colonial_starfish_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-93615: Malicious code in colonial_starfish_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The colonial_starfish_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. Its primary functionality revolves around enhancing developer reputation scores through the creation of numerous variants of the package, which can lead to pollution of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the colonial_starfish_z3n package originates from its malicious intent to modify the package.json file. It removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture. This behavior is part of a broader scheme to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, which can lead to significant pollution of the npm registry and compromise the integrity of the ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall colonial_starfish_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can temporarily avoid using the colonial_starfish_z3n package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, regularly monitor your dependencies for any updates or vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The colonial_starfish_z3n package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package from your projects and monitor your dependencies for any vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in maintaining the security of your software.
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FAQ
The colonial_starfish_z3n package is an npm package involved in the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, compromising the integrity of your project and potentially affecting other developers.
You should uninstall the colonial_starfish_z3n package immediately 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.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
