Malicious Code Injection in selected_flea_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-90457: Malicious code in selected_flea_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The selected_flea_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to exploit npm's publishing system. It is designed to automatically generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names, potentially compromising the integrity of the npm registry and affecting developers' reputations.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the presence of malicious code within the selected_flea_z3n package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. The intent is to flood the npm registry with these variants, thereby inflating developer reputation scores for the tea protocol token rewards. This not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall selected_flea_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 avoid using the selected_flea_z3n package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, regularly audit your package dependencies using tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The selected_flea_z3n package contains malicious code that poses a significant risk to developers using npm. It is crucial to remove this package from your projects and monitor for any similar vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert. Staying informed and proactive can help safeguard your applications from potential threats.
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FAQ
The selected_flea_z3n package is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to exploit npm's publishing system.
This vulnerability can lead to the introduction of malicious code into your project, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should uninstall the selected_flea_z3n package immediately and check your project for any dependencies that may be affected.
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 any signup.
