Malicious Code Injection in Dramatic Platypus Z3N Package
Summary
MAL-2025-94109: Malicious code in dramatic_platypus_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'dramatic_platypus_z3n' package is part of the npm ecosystem, typically used for various JavaScript applications. However, it has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to exploit the npm registry by flooding it with derivative packages. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward scheme, which incentivizes developers to inflate their reputation scores through automated publishing scripts.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the 'dramatic_platypus_z3n' package is rooted in its malicious code that modifies the package.json file. This code removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of these variants. The primary risk is the pollution of the npm registry, which can mislead developers and compromise the integrity of the ecosystem. This behavior is part of a broader trend of malicious packages targeting npm to exploit developer incentives.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall dramatic_platypus_z3n
If 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 your project does not include 'dramatic_platypus_z3n' in its dependencies. You can also use the following command to uninstall it if it is already installed: npm uninstall dramatic_platypus_z3n.
Conclusion
The 'dramatic_platypus_z3n' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package from your projects and monitor for any similar vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of your development environment.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to exploit the npm registry.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and potentially compromise the integrity of your project's dependencies.
You should uninstall the package immediately and monitor your project for any other malicious dependencies.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities without requiring any signup.