Malicious Code Injection in upper_donkey_z3n Package
Summary
MAL-2025-91545: Malicious code in upper_donkey_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The upper_donkey_z3n package is a 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 derivative packages. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to manipulate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing packages with randomized names.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the upper_donkey_z3n package originates from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file. This code removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of these variants. The ramifications include potential pollution of the npm registry, compromising the integrity of the ecosystem, and misleading developers regarding the authenticity of packages. The malicious payload is designed to inflate developer reputation scores fraudulently, which can have broader implications for trust within the npm community.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall upper_donkey_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 upper_donkey_z3n package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, you can monitor your package-lock.json file using tools like Vulert to detect any vulnerabilities in real-time.
Conclusion
The upper_donkey_z3n package contains malicious code that poses a significant risk to developers and the npm ecosystem. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
The upper_donkey_z3n package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to manipulate developer reputation scores.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially leading to the pollution of the npm registry and compromising the integrity of your project.
You should uninstall the upper_donkey_z3n package immediately and check for any dependencies that may be affected.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
