Malicious Code Injection in rapid_toad_z3n: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-96185: Malicious code in rapid_toad_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package rapid_toad_z3n is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. It is designed to facilitate the development and sharing of code among developers. However, this package has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to inflate developer reputation scores through the creation of numerous derivative packages, leading to potential security risks and pollution of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in rapid_toad_z3n originates from its association with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package contains scripts that automatically generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names, effectively modifying the package.json file to remove private flags and change version numbers. The malicious payload can lead to a polluted npm registry, where numerous variants of the package are published, making it difficult for developers to identify legitimate packages. This not only compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem but also poses a risk to applications that may inadvertently use these malicious packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall rapid_toad_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 rapid_toad_z3n package and monitor your dependencies for any malicious activity. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The rapid_toad_z3n package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code designed to inflate developer reputation scores. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, remove any affected packages, and utilize monitoring tools like Vulert to safeguard their applications from potential vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for rapid_toad_z3n →
FAQ
rapid_toad_z3n is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores by publishing numerous derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the inclusion of malicious code in your application, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
It is recommended to remove the rapid_toad_z3n package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
