Malicious Code Injection in joint_centipede_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-104566: Malicious code in joint_centipede_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The joint_centipede_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript development. This package has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to exploit npm's publishing system. It is designed to generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names, thereby inflating developer reputation scores for token rewards in the tea.xyz protocol. The package's functionality is compromised due to its malicious intent, making it a significant threat to developers and users relying on npm packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the joint_centipede_z3n package originates from its association with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. The package contains scripts that automatically modify the package.json file to remove private flags, change version numbers, and create random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially introducing security risks to applications that depend on these packages. The malicious payload can compromise the integrity of the npm ecosystem and affect the reputation of legitimate developers.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall joint_centipede_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can avoid using the joint_centipede_z3n package altogether. If it is already in your project, consider replacing it with a trusted alternative that provides similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The joint_centipede_z3n package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code designed to exploit the npm ecosystem. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant and remove any instances of this package from their projects. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring and identifying vulnerabilities in real-time.
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FAQ
The joint_centipede_z3n package is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to exploit the npm publishing system.
This vulnerability can compromise the integrity of your application by introducing malicious code and potentially leading to security breaches.
You should uninstall the joint_centipede_z3n package immediately and check your project for any references to it in your package-lock.json file.
Yes, tools like Vulert can monitor your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without signing up.
