Malicious Code Injection in liquid_bison_z3n: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-95268: Malicious code in liquid_bison_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'liquid_bison_z3n' is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign that has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. These packages often contain scripts designed to manipulate package metadata and inflate developer reputation scores, posing a significant risk to users and the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'liquid_bison_z3n' originates from its association with malicious scripts that modify the package.json file. These scripts remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of these variants. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also compromises the security and reliability of applications that depend on this package. The ramifications include potential exposure to further malicious activities and degradation of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall liquid_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 prevent the installation of this package by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor dependencies. Ensure that your project does not include 'liquid_bison_z3n' in its dependencies. You can also use tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities without needing to access the code directly.
Conclusion
The 'liquid_bison_z3n' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert to ensure the security of their applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for liquid_bison_z3n →
FAQ
'liquid_bison_z3n' is an npm package that has been identified as malicious, associated with scripts that manipulate package metadata.
This vulnerability can lead to the installation of malicious code, compromising the security and integrity of your application.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall liquid_bison_z3n' and check for any other affected packages.
You can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without any signup.
