Malicious Code Injection in objective_buzzard_z3n: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-95708: Malicious code in objective_buzzard_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'objective_buzzard_z3n' is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names, 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 in 'objective_buzzard_z3n' stems from its malicious payload that modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. This behavior is intended to continuously republish variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry and potential exploitation of developers who unknowingly use these compromised packages. The origin of this issue is linked to a broader campaign that aims to manipulate npm's reputation system.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall objective_buzzard_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 your dependencies. Ensure that your project does not include 'objective_buzzard_z3n' in its dependencies or devDependencies.
Conclusion
The 'objective_buzzard_z3n' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and repopulates the npm registry with compromised packages. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies to maintain the security of their applications.
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FAQ
'objective_buzzard_z3n' is an npm package associated with a token reward campaign that has been identified to contain malicious code.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may compromise the integrity of your project's dependencies, potentially exposing it to further attacks.
You should remove the 'objective_buzzard_z3n' package from your project immediately and monitor for any updates or patches.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
