Malicious Code Injection in latin_beetle_z3n Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-95193: Malicious code in latin_beetle_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The latin_beetle_z3n package is part of a series of npm packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior aims to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, making the package a potential threat to the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's 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 compromising the security of applications that depend on these packages. The malicious code can create a significant risk by allowing unauthorized access to sensitive information and undermining the trustworthiness of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall latin_beetle_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 latin_beetle_z3n package by adding it to your project's .npmrc file with the following line: package-lock=false. This will stop npm from installing this package and its variants.
Conclusion
The latin_beetle_z3n package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that modifies package.json files and floods the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for similar vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity and security of their applications.
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FAQ
latin_beetle_z3n is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores by flooding the npm registry with derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications of your package.json file, potentially exposing your application to security risks and instability.
If you have installed the latin_beetle_z3n package, you should uninstall it immediately using the command npm uninstall latin_beetle_z3n.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. It analyzes your package-lock.json file to provide real-time alerts.
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