Malicious Code Injection in primary_chipmunk_z3n: npm Package Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-107258: Malicious code in primary_chipmunk_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The primary_chipmunk_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. 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 malicious intent behind the primary_chipmunk_z3n package, 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 impacting developers who rely on the integrity of the packages they use. The malicious payload can also lead to unauthorized access and manipulation of project dependencies.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall primary_chipmunk_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 primary_chipmunk_z3n package and replace it with a trusted alternative. Additionally, you can lock your package versions in package.json to prevent automatic updates that may introduce vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The primary_chipmunk_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses a significant risk to developers and their projects. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for any vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of your software.
See every vulnerability recorded for primary_chipmunk_z3n →
FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications of your project's dependencies and may compromise the integrity of your application.
You should immediately remove the primary_chipmunk_z3n package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file. You can check your application for vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Regularly audit your dependencies, use tools like Vulert for real-time monitoring, and only install packages from trusted sources.
