Malicious Code Injection in Competitive Quelea Z3N Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-100764: Malicious code in competitive_quelea_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The competitive_quelea_z3n package is part of a series of npm packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. The primary function of this package is to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, but it has been compromised to include malicious scripts that can alter package metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
This vulnerability originates from the malicious intent behind the competitive_quelea_z3n package, which contains scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, change version numbers, and generate random package names. The scripts continuously republish these variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry. This can result in developers unknowingly using compromised packages, potentially leading to security breaches in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall competitive_quelea_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 competitive_quelea_z3n package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Always verify the integrity and reputation of packages before including them in your project.
Conclusion
The competitive_quelea_z3n package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code designed to manipulate the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package from their projects and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in their dependencies.
See every vulnerability recorded for competitive_quelea_z3n →
FAQ
It is an npm package that is part of a campaign to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, but it has been compromised to include malicious code.
The malicious code can alter your package.json file, remove private flags, and republish variants, potentially leading to security vulnerabilities in your application.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Visit Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without any signup.
You should uninstall the competitive_quelea_z3n package immediately using the command npm uninstall competitive_quelea_z3n and look for alternative packages.
Yes, Vulert provides a service that uses package-lock.json to monitor and alert for vulnerabilities in real-time, ensuring your software remains secure.
