Malicious Code Injection in live_cougar_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-95284: Malicious code in live_cougar_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The live_cougar_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, primarily used for JavaScript applications. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been linked to a series of malicious packages that flood the npm registry. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores through automated publishing of derivative packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the live_cougar_z3n package stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior is intended to continuously republish variants, polluting the npm registry and compromising the integrity of the ecosystem. The origin of this vulnerability is tied to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which exploits npm's publishing mechanisms.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall live_cougar_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 package from being used in your project by removing it from your package.json and ensuring that your application does not reference it.
Conclusion
The live_cougar_z3n package contains malicious code that poses a significant risk to applications using it. Immediate action is required to remove this package and safeguard your project. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring for such vulnerabilities in the future.
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FAQ
The live_cougar_z3n package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been identified as malicious.
This vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may compromise the integrity of your application by introducing malicious code.
You should uninstall the live_cougar_z3n package immediately and monitor your application for any unusual behavior.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
