Malicious Code Injection in Dying Badger Z3N Package
Summary
MAL-2025-94142: Malicious code in dying_badger_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'dying_badger_z3n' package is part of the npm ecosystem, often associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. This package, like many others in its category, aims to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, but it has been compromised to include malicious scripts that can harm the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the 'dying_badger_z3n' package originates from its involvement in a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. The malicious payload modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, which leads to the continuous republishing of these variants. This not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, potentially leading to security breaches in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall dying_badger_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, avoid using the 'dying_badger_z3n' package and monitor your project for any dependencies that may have been affected by this vulnerability. You can also utilize tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities in real-time. To check if your application is affected, you can use the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The 'dying_badger_z3n' package has been identified as containing malicious code that can compromise the security of applications using it. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your project for any vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the integrity of your software by providing real-time alerts for open-source vulnerabilities.
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FAQ
The 'dying_badger_z3n' package is an npm package associated with a token reward campaign that generates derivative packages to inflate developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability can lead to the introduction of malicious code into your application, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should uninstall the 'dying_badger_z3n' package immediately and check for any dependencies that may be affected.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json file.
You can check your application for vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner without needing to sign up.
