Malicious Code Injection in horizontal_panda_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-94861: Malicious code in horizontal_panda_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The horizontal_panda_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem and appears to be associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the horizontal_panda_z3n package stems from its malicious payload, which 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 affecting other packages and developers. The origin of this issue is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has flooded the npm ecosystem with similar malicious packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall horizontal_panda_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 prevent the installation of the horizontal_panda_z3n package by adding it to your project's .npmrc file with the following line: 'ignore-scripts=true'. This will disable any scripts during installation, reducing the risk of executing malicious code.
Conclusion
The horizontal_panda_z3n package contains a significant vulnerability due to its malicious code, which alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package from your project and monitor your dependencies for similar vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your open-source projects.
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FAQ
The horizontal_panda_z3n package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially affecting your project's dependencies and reputation.
If you have installed the horizontal_panda_z3n package, you should uninstall it immediately using 'npm uninstall horizontal_panda_z3n' and review your project's dependencies.
Yes, tools like Vulert can monitor and alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
