Malicious Code Injection in crooked_primate_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-93857: Malicious code in crooked_primate_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The crooked_primate_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, often utilized for various JavaScript applications. It has been identified as part of a larger scheme involving the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has led to the proliferation of numerous malicious packages on npm. This package is designed to automatically generate and publish derivative packages, thereby inflating developer reputation scores for token rewards.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the presence of malicious code within the crooked_primate_z3n package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture. The malicious payload continuously republishes these variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising the integrity of applications that depend on this package. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has exploited npm's publishing mechanisms.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall crooked_primate_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 the crooked_primate_z3n package by using npm's package-lock.json file to monitor dependencies. Ensure that you do not include this package in your project and regularly check for any unauthorized changes.
Conclusion
The crooked_primate_z3n package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that alters package configurations and floods the npm registry. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your dependencies to maintain the integrity of your applications.
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FAQ
The crooked_primate_z3n package is an npm package that has been identified as malicious, part of a scheme to inflate developer reputation scores through the tea.xyz token reward campaign.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, removes private flags, and generates random package names, which can lead to security vulnerabilities and instability in your application.
If you have installed crooked_primate_z3n, you should uninstall it immediately using the command npm uninstall crooked_primate_z3n.
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.
