Malicious Code Injection in rubber_hoverfly_z3n: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-96415: Malicious code in rubber_hoverfly_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The rubber_hoverfly_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package, like many others, is intended to facilitate the development of applications by providing reusable code. However, it has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that exploits npm's publishing capabilities, leading to significant security concerns.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in rubber_hoverfly_z3n stems from its association with a malicious campaign that aims to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. This malicious code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, ultimately polluting the npm registry. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has flooded the npm ecosystem with compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall rubber_hoverfly_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, you can remove the rubber_hoverfly_z3n package from your project to mitigate the risk until a secure version is released. Use the following command to uninstall the package: npm uninstall rubber_hoverfly_z3n.
Conclusion
The rubber_hoverfly_z3n package poses a significant security risk due to its association with malicious code designed to exploit the npm ecosystem. It is crucial for developers to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to safeguard their applications.
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FAQ
rubber_hoverfly_z3n is an npm package used in JavaScript development, but it has been identified as part of a malicious campaign.
The vulnerability can lead to the injection of malicious code, which may compromise your application's integrity and security.
You should update the package to the latest version or remove it from your project to avoid potential risks.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without signing up.
