Malicious Code Injection in internal_dragon_z3n Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-95103: Malicious code in internal_dragon_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The internal_dragon_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 scripts that compromise its integrity.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the internal_dragon_z3n package, which includes scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry, potentially affecting developers' projects and reputation. The malicious payload can compromise the security of applications relying on this package, leading to unauthorized access or data manipulation.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall internal_dragon_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 remove the internal_dragon_z3n package from your project using the command: npm uninstall internal_dragon_z3n. This will help mitigate the risk until a secure version is released.
Conclusion
The internal_dragon_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that can compromise the security of applications using it. It is crucial to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to protect your project from potential threats. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring for such vulnerabilities in the future.
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FAQ
The internal_dragon_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 unauthorized modifications in your project's package.json file and may result in the pollution of the npm registry, affecting your project's integrity.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just package-lock.json. You can check your application for vulnerabilities without any signup at the Vulert playground.
If you cannot update the internal_dragon_z3n package, it is advisable to remove it from your project to mitigate the risk associated with the vulnerability.
Regularly monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert and keep your packages updated to their latest secure versions.
