Malicious Code Injection in Protective Booby Z3N Package
Summary
MAL-2025-107372: Malicious code in protective_booby_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The protective_booby_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript development. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. Its primary function is to facilitate token rewards, but it has been compromised to include harmful scripts that manipulate package metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the inclusion of malicious code within the protective_booby_z3n package. This code is designed to automatically modify the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. The malicious payload continuously republishes these variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry and potential reputation damage for developers. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which incentivizes the creation of derivative packages for fraudulent reputation enhancement.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall protective_booby_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 malicious code from executing by avoiding the installation of the protective_booby_z3n package and monitoring your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes.
Conclusion
The protective_booby_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses significant risks to developers and their projects. Immediate action is required to remove the package and monitor for any unauthorized changes. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your open-source dependencies.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been compromised to include malicious code.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, removes private flags, and generates random package names, which can lead to reputation damage and registry pollution.
You should uninstall the protective_booby_z3n package immediately and monitor your project for any unauthorized changes.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without needing to sign up.
