Malicious Code Injection in leading_bison_z3n: npm Package Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-95199: Malicious code in leading_bison_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The leading_bison_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem and is 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 and the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in leading_bison_z3n originates 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 malicious code is designed to exploit the npm ecosystem for nefarious purposes, making it a significant security concern.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall leading_bison_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 avoid using the leading_bison_z3n package and replace it with a trusted alternative that provides similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The leading_bison_z3n package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and pollutes the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package from your projects and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert.
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FAQ
leading_bison_z3n is an npm package involved in the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may compromise the integrity of your project by introducing malicious code.
You should uninstall the leading_bison_z3n package immediately using the command: npm uninstall leading_bison_z3n.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
