Malicious Code Injection in orthodox_panther_z3n: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-122422: Malicious code in orthodox_panther_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'orthodox_panther_z3n' is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to exploit the npm registry by flooding it with derivative packages. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores through automated scripts that generate and publish numerous variants with random names.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'orthodox_panther_z3n' originates from its association with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It contains malicious scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and create random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of these variants, which pollutes the npm registry and can compromise the integrity of other packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall orthodox_panther_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 malicious package by using npm's package-lock.json file to lock your dependencies. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The 'orthodox_panther_z3n' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that manipulates the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and utilize tools like Vulert to ensure their projects remain secure from such vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for orthodox_panther_z3n →
FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to exploit the npm registry.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and compromise the integrity of your project's dependencies.
You should remove the 'orthodox_panther_z3n' package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert to monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities in real-time.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities without needing to sign up.
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