Malicious Code Exploit in Profitable Kangaroo Z3N Package
Summary
MAL-2025-107317: Malicious code in profitable_kangaroo_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'profitable_kangaroo_z3n' package is part of the npm ecosystem, often associated with token reward campaigns. It is designed to facilitate various functionalities related to the tea.xyz token rewards. However, this package has been identified as part of a malicious scheme that floods the npm registry with derivative packages, impacting the integrity of the ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to inflate developer reputation scores. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses risks of dependency confusion and potential exploitation of applications relying on these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall profitable_kangaroo_z3n
If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can avoid using the 'profitable_kangaroo_z3n' package and any packages that depend on it. Additionally, consider using a tool like Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities. You can access the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
Conclusion
The 'profitable_kangaroo_z3n' package poses significant risks due to its malicious behavior of modifying package files and republishing variants. It is essential to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert to maintain application security.
See every vulnerability recorded for profitable_kangaroo_z3n →
FAQ
It is an npm package associated with token reward campaigns, but it has been identified as malicious.
The vulnerability can lead to dependency confusion and potential exploitation, compromising the security of your application.
Uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall profitable_kangaroo_z3n' and check for secure alternatives.
Yes, Vulert can monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application.