Malicious Code Injection in Significant Chameleon Z3N Package
Summary
MAL-2025-90489: Malicious code in significant_chameleon_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The Significant Chameleon Z3N package is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign targeting the npm registry. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward initiative, which has been known to flood the npm ecosystem with numerous derivative packages. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores through automated publishing scripts.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the Significant Chameleon Z3N package stems from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This behavior not only compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages in their projects.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall significant_chameleon_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 Significant Chameleon Z3N package and any of its derivatives. Additionally, consider using npm audit to check for vulnerabilities in your project and take necessary actions to mitigate risks.
Conclusion
The Significant Chameleon Z3N package poses a significant risk due to its malicious behavior of modifying package files and republishing variants to the npm registry. It is essential to remove this package and monitor your projects for vulnerabilities to maintain security.
See every vulnerability recorded for significant_chameleon_z3n →
FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through automated publishing.
The vulnerability can lead to the inclusion of malicious code in your project, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should immediately remove the Significant Chameleon Z3N package from your project and check for any other affected packages.
You can use tools like npm audit to scan your project for vulnerabilities. Additionally, Vulert can help monitor and alert you for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
