Malicious Code Injection in reasonable_mongoose_z3n: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-96220: Malicious code in reasonable_mongoose_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
reasonable_mongoose_z3n is an npm package that is part of a broader campaign to exploit the npm ecosystem. It is designed to facilitate token reward mechanisms, but it has been compromised to include malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata. This vulnerability poses a significant risk to developers and users relying on this package for their applications.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package being part of a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. It includes scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially affecting the integrity of other packages and damaging developer reputations.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall reasonable_mongoose_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 reasonable_mongoose_z3n package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The reasonable_mongoose_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that can compromise the integrity of the npm ecosystem. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain application security.
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FAQ
reasonable_mongoose_z3n is an npm package that has been compromised to include malicious code as part of a token reward campaign.
This vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, affecting the integrity of your application and potentially introducing security risks.
You should remove the reasonable_mongoose_z3n package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches.
You can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file to alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
