Malicious Code Injection in Varied Turtle Z3N Package
Summary
MAL-2025-91661: Malicious code in varied_turtle_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The varied_turtle_z3n package is part of the npm ecosystem, often utilized in JavaScript applications. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with numerous packages. These packages typically contain scripts designed to manipulate package metadata and inflate developer reputation scores. The presence of malicious code in this package poses significant risks to developers and their applications.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the varied_turtle_z3n package originates from its association with a campaign that deploys autopublish scripts. These scripts 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 compromising the integrity of applications that depend on this package. The malicious payload can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, and a tarnished reputation for developers.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall varied_turtle_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 prevent the installation of the varied_turtle_z3n package by using the following command to block it: npm install --no-save varied_turtle_z3n. However, the best practice is to remove the package entirely.
Conclusion
The varied_turtle_z3n package contains malicious code that poses significant risks to developers and their applications. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the security and integrity of your projects.
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FAQ
The varied_turtle_z3n package is an npm package that is part of a token reward campaign, often used in JavaScript applications.
The malicious code modifies package metadata, potentially leading to unauthorized access and data breaches in your application.
You should uninstall the varied_turtle_z3n package immediately and check for any alternative packages that are safe to use.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
