Malicious Code Injection in gothic_anaconda_z3n: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-103312: Malicious code in gothic_anaconda_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
gothic_anaconda_z3n is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign targeting the npm registry. It is designed to manipulate package metadata and inflate developer reputation scores through automated scripts. Its primary functionality revolves around generating and publishing derivative packages, which can lead to significant pollution of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in gothic_anaconda_z3n stems from its inclusion in a malicious package campaign that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior is orchestrated by autopublish scripts that continuously republish variants, thereby compromising the integrity of the npm registry. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which aims to exploit npm for token rewards by flooding it with derivative packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall gothic_anaconda_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, you can prevent the installation of this malicious package by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor dependencies. Ensure that your project does not include gothic_anaconda_z3n or any packages with similar names. You can also use Vulert to check for vulnerabilities in your application without requiring access to the code or installation.
Conclusion
The gothic_anaconda_z3n package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior of modifying package metadata and flooding the registry with derivative packages. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies to maintain the integrity of their projects.
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FAQ
gothic_anaconda_z3n is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign designed to manipulate the npm registry.
This vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, compromising the integrity of your project's dependencies and potentially introducing further security risks.
You should uninstall the package immediately using the command npm uninstall gothic_anaconda_z3n and review your dependencies for any other malicious packages.
You can use Vulert to monitor your project in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities by analyzing your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
