Malicious Code Injection in tropical_viper_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-109846: Malicious code in tropical_viper_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The tropical_viper_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 its integrity and the security of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the presence of malicious code within the tropical_viper_z3n package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove 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_viper_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_viper_z3n package altogether and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The tropical_viper_z3n package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses significant risks to developers and the npm ecosystem. Immediate action is required to remove this package and mitigate potential security threats. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring and managing vulnerabilities in your projects.
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FAQ
The tropical_viper_z3n package is an npm package linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, removes private flags, and can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially compromising your project's security.
You should uninstall the tropical_viper_z3n package immediately using the command: npm uninstall tropical_viper_z3n.
Yes, you should look for other npm packages that offer similar functionality without the security risks associated with tropical_viper_z3n.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file. You can also check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner.
