Malicious Code Injection in courageous_quelea_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-93836: Malicious code in courageous_quelea_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The courageous_quelea_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, often utilized in JavaScript projects for various functionalities. However, it has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. This package is designed to manipulate developer reputation scores through automated publishing scripts, which can lead to significant security risks.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the courageous_quelea_z3n package stems from its association with a malicious campaign that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior not only compromises the integrity of the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages. The malicious payload is designed to continuously republish variants, polluting the npm ecosystem and potentially leading to further exploitation.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall courageous_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 courageous_quelea_z3n package and replace it with a trusted alternative. Additionally, you can monitor your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes, ensuring that no malicious packages are introduced into your project.
Conclusion
The courageous_quelea_z3n package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code injection capabilities. It is essential for developers to be vigilant, remove any affected packages, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor their projects for vulnerabilities. Regular updates and security checks are vital to maintaining a secure development environment.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign aimed at manipulating developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability can lead to the introduction of malicious code into your project, compromising its security and integrity.
You should immediately remove the courageous_quelea_z3n package from your project and monitor for any unauthorized changes in your dependencies.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without signing up.
