Malicious Code Injection in Tropical Roundworm Z3N Package
Summary
MAL-2025-97058: Malicious code in tropical_roundworm_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The Tropical Roundworm Z3N package is part of the npm ecosystem, often used in various JavaScript applications. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with numerous packages. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to manipulate developer reputation scores through automated publishing scripts.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the Tropical Roundworm Z3N package stems from malicious code that modifies the package.json file. It removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, potentially leading to security breaches in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tropical_roundworm_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 Tropical Roundworm Z3N package and replace it with a trusted alternative. Additionally, you can monitor your project for any unauthorized changes to the package.json file.
Conclusion
The Tropical Roundworm Z3N package contains a significant vulnerability due to its malicious code that alters package configurations. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for any unauthorized changes to maintain the security and integrity of their applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for tropical_roundworm_z3n →
FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, known for its malicious behavior.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized changes in your package.json file, potentially compromising your application’s integrity.
You should uninstall the Tropical Roundworm Z3N package immediately and monitor your project for any unauthorized changes.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. You can check your application using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Regularly audit your dependencies, use trusted packages, and monitor for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert.
