Malicious Code Injection in sudden_turkey_z3n Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-90794: Malicious code in sudden_turkey_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The sudden_turkey_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package, like many others in the campaign, is designed to inflate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. Its functionality is compromised due to malicious code that alters its package.json file, leading to potential abuse in the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from malicious code embedded in the sudden_turkey_z3n package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, changes version numbers, and generates random package names, which can lead to the pollution of the npm registry. The malicious payload continuously republishes these variants, creating a significant risk for developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, potentially leading to reputation damage and security risks in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall sudden_turkey_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As an immediate workaround, you can remove the sudden_turkey_z3n package from your project by executing the following command: npm uninstall sudden_turkey_z3n. This will prevent any malicious code from executing in your application until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The sudden_turkey_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses a significant risk to developers and their applications. It is essential to take immediate action by uninstalling the package and monitoring for updates. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in maintaining the security of your open-source dependencies.
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FAQ
The sudden_turkey_z3n package is an npm package that is part of a token reward campaign, which has been compromised by malicious code.
The malicious code modifies the package.json file, removes private flags, and generates random package names, which can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and potential security risks.
You should uninstall the sudden_turkey_z3n package immediately and check for any updates or patches that may be released.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor your packages for vulnerabilities. Vulert uses package-lock.json to alert you in real-time about open-source vulnerabilities.
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