Malicious Code Injection in protestant_hoverfly_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-107381: Malicious code in protestant_hoverfly_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The protestant_hoverfly_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, primarily used for various development tasks. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to manipulate developer reputation scores through automated publishing scripts.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the protestant_hoverfly_z3n package stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file. It removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of these variants. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, potentially leading to security breaches in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall protestant_hoverfly_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can temporarily avoid using the protestant_hoverfly_z3n package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, you can monitor your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes.
Conclusion
The protestant_hoverfly_z3n package contains malicious code that poses significant risks to developers and their applications. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor for any unauthorized changes in your project. Utilizing tools like Vulert can aid in maintaining the security of your software.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign, known for containing malicious code.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications in your project, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should uninstall the protestant_hoverfly_z3n package immediately and check for any dependencies that may be affected.
Yes, tools like Vulert can help monitor your project for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without needing to sign up.
