Malicious Code Injection in potential_bonobo_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-107165: Malicious code in potential_bonobo_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 potential_bonobo_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 automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems 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 leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially harming developers' reputations and the integrity of the ecosystem. The source of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has flooded npm with similar malicious packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall potential_bonobo_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 temporary workaround, you can prevent the installation of this package by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor dependencies. Ensure that your project does not include potential_bonobo_z3n in its dependencies. You can also use the following command to uninstall it if it is already installed: npm uninstall potential_bonobo_z3n.
Conclusion
The potential_bonobo_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses a significant risk to developers and the npm ecosystem. It is crucial to remove this package from your project and monitor your dependencies for any vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for potential_bonobo_z3n →
FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The malicious code can compromise your project's integrity by modifying package.json and flooding the npm registry with unwanted packages.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities without needing to sign up.
You should uninstall the package immediately using the command: npm uninstall potential_bonobo_z3n.
Yes, Vulert can monitor and alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json.
