Malicious Code Injection in defeated_marten_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-101263: Malicious code in defeated_marten_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The defeated_marten_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 publication 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 and the security of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the defeated_marten_z3n package stems from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially affecting other packages. The source of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has flooded the npm ecosystem with similar malicious packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall defeated_marten_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 defeated_marten_z3n package and monitor your project for any dependencies that may have been affected by this malicious code. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The defeated_marten_z3n package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that modifies package configurations and pollutes the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package from your projects and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities effectively.
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FAQ
The defeated_marten_z3n package 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 file, removes private flags, and generates random package names, which can lead to pollution of the npm registry and potential security risks.
You can use Vulert's playground to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup. Visit Vulert Scanner to get started.
If you have installed the defeated_marten_z3n package, you should uninstall it immediately using the command: npm uninstall defeated_marten_z3n.
Yes, Vulert can monitor your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time, alerting you to any issues that may arise.
