Malicious Code Injection in rising_mole_z3n: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-108158: Malicious code in rising_mole_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'rising_mole_z3n' package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'rising_mole_z3n' originates from its association with a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. The malicious payload modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the pollution of the npm registry. This can result in developers inadvertently using compromised packages, which may lead to security breaches or loss of data integrity.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall rising_mole_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, avoid using the 'rising_mole_z3n' package and consider using alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. You can also monitor your dependencies using tools like Vulert, which can alert you to vulnerabilities in real-time.
Conclusion
The 'rising_mole_z3n' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code designed to manipulate the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities to maintain security and integrity.
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FAQ
The 'rising_mole_z3n' package is an npm package linked to a token reward campaign that has been identified as containing malicious code.
The vulnerability can lead to the introduction of compromised packages into your project, which may result in security breaches or data loss.
You should immediately remove the 'rising_mole_z3n' package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities and alerts you 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.
