Malicious Code Injection in full_centipede_z3n: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-94627: Malicious code in full_centipede_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package full_centipede_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 linked to a series of malicious activities aimed at inflating developer reputation scores. The package's functionality is compromised by the presence of malicious scripts that manipulate its metadata and behavior.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in full_centipede_z3n stems from its association with malicious code designed to modify the package.json file. This code removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry. The origin of this vulnerability is traced back to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which exploits npm's publishing mechanism to create a flood of derivative packages, thereby impacting the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall full_centipede_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 full_centipede_z3n package and monitor your project's dependencies for any malicious activity. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities. You can check your application against this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The full_centipede_z3n package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code that alters package metadata. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in maintaining the security of your projects.
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FAQ
full_centipede_z3n is an npm package that has been identified as containing malicious code aimed at manipulating package metadata.
The malicious code can alter your package.json file, remove private flags, and generate random package names, which can lead to security vulnerabilities and pollution of the npm registry.
You should remove the package from your project immediately and monitor for any updates or patches that may be released.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. Visit https://vulert.com for more information.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
