Malicious Code Injection in moderate_cardinal_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-88451: Malicious code in moderate_cardinal_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The moderate_cardinal_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 generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious scripts that compromise its integrity.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the moderate_cardinal_z3n package stems from the presence of malicious code that modifies the package.json file. This code removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry. The origin of this issue is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which employs these tactics to manipulate npm's reputation system. The ramifications include potential security risks for developers who unknowingly use this package, as well as the degradation of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall moderate_cardinal_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can avoid using the moderate_cardinal_z3n package altogether. If it is already in use, consider removing it from your dependencies and replacing it with a trusted alternative. You can use the following command to uninstall the package: npm uninstall moderate_cardinal_z3n.
Conclusion
The moderate_cardinal_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses significant risks to developers and the npm ecosystem. It is crucial to remove this package from your projects and monitor for any updates or patches. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in identifying vulnerabilities in your dependencies.
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FAQ
The moderate_cardinal_z3n package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The package contains scripts that modify package.json files, remove private flags, and continuously republish variants to inflate developer reputation scores.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. By uploading your package-lock.json file, you can check for vulnerabilities in real-time.
It is advisable to uninstall the moderate_cardinal_z3n package immediately and replace it with a trusted alternative to mitigate any security risks.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
