Malicious Code Injection in nutty_reptile_z3n: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-106467: Malicious code in nutty_reptile_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The package 'nutty_reptile_z3n' is part of a series of npm packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior poses a significant risk to the integrity of the npm registry and can lead to the proliferation of malicious code.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'nutty_reptile_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 allows the package to continuously republish variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising other projects that depend on these packages. The malicious scripts included in the package are designed to automate this process, making it difficult for developers to detect and mitigate the threat.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall nutty_reptile_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As a workaround, you can temporarily prevent the package from being used in your project by removing it from your package.json file and running 'npm install' to update your dependencies. Additionally, you can monitor your project for any unauthorized changes to package.json.
Conclusion
The 'nutty_reptile_z3n' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious behavior of modifying package files and republishing variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity and security of their applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for nutty_reptile_z3n →
FAQ
'nutty_reptile_z3n' is an npm package that has been identified as malicious, designed to inflate developer reputation scores through automated publishing of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications in your project's package.json, potentially introducing security risks and instability in your application.
You should remove 'nutty_reptile_z3n' from your project immediately and monitor your dependencies for any unauthorized changes.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. You can check your application against known vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Regularly audit your dependencies, use tools like Vulert for monitoring, and stay informed about the latest security advisories in the npm ecosystem.
