Malicious Code Injection in Technological Shark Z3N Package
Summary
MAL-2025-98961: Malicious code in technological_shark_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'technological_shark_z3n' package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate various functionalities, but it has been compromised, leading to significant security concerns. The package is known for its ability to generate and publish derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, its malicious nature poses a risk to developers and users alike.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package being part of a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. It contains scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, change version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also compromises the integrity of the affected packages, potentially leading to unauthorized access or manipulation of software relying on these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall technological_shark_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 remove the 'technological_shark_z3n' package from your project by executing the following command: 'npm uninstall technological_shark_z3n'. This will prevent any malicious code from executing until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The 'technological_shark_z3n' package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses significant security risks. It is crucial for developers to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to safeguard their applications. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor and alert for such vulnerabilities in real-time.
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FAQ
The vulnerability involves malicious code that modifies package.json files and floods the npm registry with derivative packages.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without requiring any signup.
If an immediate update is not possible, consider uninstalling the package as a temporary measure to mitigate risks.
Yes, the impacts include potential unauthorized access, manipulation of software, and pollution of the npm registry.
For more information, you can contact Amazon Inspector at actran@amazon.com.
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