Malicious Code Injection in marxist_lizard_z3n Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-105643: Malicious code in marxist_lizard_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The marxist_lizard_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 the integrity of the npm registry.
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 affecting other developers by inflating reputation scores fraudulently. The malicious scripts included in the package are designed to automate these processes, making it a significant threat to the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall marxist_lizard_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 marxist_lizard_z3n package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, regularly audit your dependencies using tools like npm audit to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The marxist_lizard_z3n package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package from your projects and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of your applications.
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FAQ
The marxist_lizard_z3n package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may affect your project's integrity by introducing malicious code and altering package metadata.
If you have installed the marxist_lizard_z3n package, you should uninstall it immediately using the command npm uninstall marxist_lizard_z3n.
Yes, tools like Vulert can monitor your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time, alerting you to any issues without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
