Malicious Code Injection in warm_mule_z3n: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-91993: Malicious code in warm_mule_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package warm_mule_z3n is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This campaign has been known to flood the npm registry with packages that contain harmful scripts. These scripts are designed to manipulate package metadata and inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in warm_mule_z3n originates from its malicious code, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alter version numbers. It generates random package names, often themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This behavior not only compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem but also poses risks to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall warm_mule_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can prevent the installation of this malicious package by using npm audit to identify vulnerabilities in your project. Additionally, consider using the following command to remove the package: npm uninstall warm_mule_z3n.
Conclusion
The warm_mule_z3n package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code designed to manipulate npm package metadata. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant and remove any instances of this package from their projects to maintain the integrity of their software.
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FAQ
warm_mule_z3n is an npm package that has been identified as malicious, containing scripts that manipulate package metadata.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and compromise the integrity of your project by introducing unwanted and potentially harmful packages.
You can use the Vulert platform to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Visit Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without any signup.
If you have installed warm_mule_z3n, it is recommended to uninstall it immediately using the command: npm uninstall warm_mule_z3n.
Yes, tools like Vulert can help monitor your project for vulnerabilities in real-time using just the package-lock.json file.
