Malicious Code Vulnerability in Valuable Tarantula Z3N Package
Summary
MAL-2025-98989: Malicious code in valuable_tarantula_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'valuable_tarantula_z3n' package is part of the npm ecosystem, often 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 scripts that compromise its integrity.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's inclusion in a campaign that floods the npm registry with malicious code. The scripts within the package, such as auto.js and autopublish.js, modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially harming developers' reputations and project integrity.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall valuable_tarantula_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 package from your dependencies by running the following command: npm uninstall valuable_tarantula_z3n. This will prevent any malicious code from executing in your application.
Conclusion
The 'valuable_tarantula_z3n' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and stay vigilant for updates or patches to protect their projects.
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FAQ
It is an npm package involved in a token reward campaign that has been identified to contain malicious code.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may compromise your project's integrity and reputation.
You should uninstall the package immediately and monitor for any updates or patches that may be released.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. You can check your application using the Vulert playground without any signup.
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