Malicious Code Injection in philosophical_lungfish_z3n: npm Package Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-95890: Malicious code in philosophical_lungfish_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'philosophical_lungfish_z3n' package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate token rewards by generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and the security 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 is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, leading to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry. The ramifications include potential security risks for developers using this package and the broader npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall philosophical_lungfish_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 'philosophical_lungfish_z3n' package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The 'philosophical_lungfish_z3n' package has been identified as a malicious entity within the npm ecosystem, posing risks to developers and the integrity of the npm registry. Immediate action is required to remove this package and safeguard your applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for philosophical_lungfish_z3n →
FAQ
The package contains malicious code that modifies package.json and repurposes it to inflate developer reputation scores.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without needing to sign up.
It is advisable to remove the package immediately and check for any potential security breaches in your application.
While specific exploits have not been detailed, the malicious behavior of the package poses significant risks to the integrity of the npm registry and user applications.
Regularly monitor your dependencies using tools like Vulert and ensure to review package sources before installation.
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Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
