Malicious Code Injection in Severe Chicken Z3N Package
Summary
MAL-2025-108567: Malicious code in severe_chicken_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'severe_chicken_z3n' package is part of a series of npm packages that have been associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by creating and publishing numerous derivative packages with randomized names. The primary functionality of these packages is to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards associated with the tea protocol. However, this functionality comes with significant risks due to the malicious code embedded within.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the 'severe_chicken_z3n' package originates from its design to include autopublish scripts that modify the package.json file. This includes removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names, which leads to the continuous republishing of variants. The ramifications of this vulnerability are severe, as it can pollute the npm registry, compromise the integrity of the package ecosystem, and potentially expose users to further malicious activities.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall severe_chicken_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 prevent the installation of the 'severe_chicken_z3n' package by using npm's package-lock.json file to lock your dependencies. This will ensure that the vulnerable package is not installed inadvertently. You can also monitor your project for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert, which allows you to check for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Conclusion
The 'severe_chicken_z3n' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code designed to manipulate npm registry statistics. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your project for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert to ensure the security of your software.
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FAQ
The 'severe_chicken_z3n' package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to manipulate npm registry statistics.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and expose your project to further malicious activities, compromising its integrity.
You should uninstall the 'severe_chicken_z3n' package immediately using 'npm uninstall severe_chicken_z3n' and check for any alternative secure packages.
You can use Vulert to monitor your project for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time by analyzing your package-lock.json file.
There is no patch for the 'severe_chicken_z3n' package itself, as it is recommended to uninstall it and avoid using it altogether.
