Malicious Code Injection in Subtle Bonobo Z3N Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-96845: Malicious code in subtle_bonobo_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The subtle_bonobo_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 stems from the package's malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially harming developers' reputations and project integrity. The origin of this issue is linked to a broader trend of malicious packages flooding the npm ecosystem, specifically targeting users involved in the tea protocol token rewards.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall subtle_bonobo_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 this package by using npm's package-lock.json file to lock your dependencies. Additionally, consider using the following command to uninstall the package if it is already installed: npm uninstall subtle_bonobo_z3n.
Conclusion
The subtle_bonobo_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem. It is crucial for developers to remove this package from their projects and monitor for vulnerabilities to maintain the security and reputation of their applications.
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FAQ
The subtle_bonobo_z3n package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
This vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially harming your project's integrity and reputation.
If you have installed the subtle_bonobo_z3n package, it is advisable to uninstall it immediately using the command: npm uninstall subtle_bonobo_z3n.
Currently, there is no specific patch available for the subtle_bonobo_z3n package. It is recommended to remove the package from your project.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just package-lock.json. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner without any signup.
