Malicious Code Injection in hungry_opossum_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-94885: Malicious code in hungry_opossum_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The hungry_opossum_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. However, this package has been identified as malicious, containing scripts that manipulate package metadata and flood the npm registry with unwanted variants.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the presence of malicious code within the hungry_opossum_z3n package. This code modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. The malicious scripts are designed to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic publication of numerous derivative packages, which can lead to registry pollution and potential misuse of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall hungry_opossum_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 this package by using npm's package-lock.json file to monitor dependencies. Ensure that your project does not include hungry_opossum_z3n or any of its variants. You can also use the following command to audit your dependencies: 'npm audit'.
Conclusion
The hungry_opossum_z3n package has been identified as malicious, with code that modifies package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package from your project and monitor for any similar vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert. Regular audits and dependency management are essential for maintaining a secure development environment.
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FAQ
The malicious code can lead to the automatic generation of numerous unwanted packages, polluting the npm registry and potentially affecting your project's integrity.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities. Visit the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected.
Immediately uninstall the package using 'npm uninstall hungry_opossum_z3n' and review your project for any dependencies that may rely on it.
Regularly audit your dependencies using 'npm audit' and consider using tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Yes, if the hungry_opossum_z3n package is not critical to your project's functionality, you can safely remove it and continue development.
