Malicious Code Injection in experienced_crocodile_z3n: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-94380: Malicious code in experienced_crocodile_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'experienced_crocodile_z3n' is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. These packages often contain scripts that manipulate package metadata and publish derivative packages to inflate developer reputation scores. The presence of such malicious code poses a significant risk to developers and users relying on npm packages for their applications.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'experienced_crocodile_z3n' originates from its involvement in a malicious campaign that 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 compromising the integrity of other packages. The malicious payload can affect developers by inflating reputation scores fraudulently and may lead to the distribution of compromised software.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall experienced_crocodile_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, avoid using the 'experienced_crocodile_z3n' package in your projects. You can also monitor your package dependencies using tools like Vulert, which allows you to check for vulnerabilities in your package-lock.json file without requiring code access or installation. You can use the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner to see if your application is affected by this vulnerability.
Conclusion
The 'experienced_crocodile_z3n' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and republish variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with a malicious campaign that modifies package metadata and publishes derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the distribution of compromised packages, affecting the integrity and security of your application.
Remove the 'experienced_crocodile_z3n' package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities without any signup.
