Malicious Code Vulnerability in controlled_hedgehog_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-100952: Malicious code in controlled_hedgehog_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The controlled_hedgehog_z3n package 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 inflate developer reputation scores through the creation and publication of numerous derivative packages. The malicious nature of this package lies in its ability to modify critical files and republish itself under various names, leading to potential pollution of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the package's inclusion in a token reward campaign that utilizes autopublish scripts to generate and publish numerous derivative packages with randomized names. These scripts modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and continuously republish variants. This not only compromises the integrity of the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly install these malicious 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 controlled_hedgehog_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 monitor your package dependencies using tools like Vulert, which allows you to check for vulnerabilities in your package-lock.json file. You can access the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner to see if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
Conclusion
The controlled_hedgehog_z3n package poses a significant risk due to its malicious nature and the potential for widespread impact on the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant and remove this package from their projects to safeguard their applications. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring for such vulnerabilities in the future.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the creation of numerous derivative packages.
If you have this package installed, it could lead to the installation of numerous malicious derivatives, potentially compromising your application's security.
You should uninstall the controlled_hedgehog_z3n package immediately and monitor your dependencies for any other vulnerabilities.
You can use tools like Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities in real-time.
There is no patch for the controlled_hedgehog_z3n package as it is recommended to uninstall it rather than update.
