Malicious Code in wrong_dolphin_z3n: A Threat to npm Package Integrity
Summary
MAL-2025-97430: Malicious code in wrong_dolphin_z3n (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'wrong_dolphin_z3n' is part of a series of npm packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior compromises the integrity of the npm registry and can lead to further exploitation.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'wrong_dolphin_z3n' stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This allows the package to continuously republish variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially leading to reputation damage for developers and security risks for users who unknowingly install these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall wrong_dolphin_z3nIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can prevent the installation of this malicious package by using npm's package-lock.json to lock your dependencies to known safe versions. You can also utilize tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Conclusion
The 'wrong_dolphin_z3n' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious behavior of modifying and republishing packages. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor their projects for vulnerabilities to maintain security and integrity.
See every vulnerability recorded for wrong_dolphin_z3n →
FAQ
The vulnerability involves malicious code that alters package.json files and publishes harmful variants to the npm registry.
You can use Vulert to check your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities without requiring any installation.
The risks include potential reputation damage for developers and security threats for users who install the compromised packages.
There is no patch for 'wrong_dolphin_z3n' as it is recommended to remove the package entirely.
Regularly update your dependencies, use tools like Vulert for monitoring, and review your package-lock.json for any suspicious packages.
