Malicious Code Injection in conservation_centipede_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-93731: Malicious code in conservation_centipede_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The conservation_centipede_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, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the conservation_centipede_z3n package originates from its association with a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry. The package includes scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising other projects that depend on it.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall conservation_centipede_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 prevent the installation of this package by using npm's package-lock.json file to monitor dependencies. Ensure that you do not include conservation_centipede_z3n in your package.json or package-lock.json files.
Conclusion
The conservation_centipede_z3n package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters project files and pollutes the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package from your project and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json, removes private flags, and can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, affecting other projects.
You should uninstall the conservation_centipede_z3n package immediately using 'npm uninstall conservation_centipede_z3n'.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without needing to sign up.
