Malicious Code Vulnerability in aggregate_octopus_dumbs Package
Summary
MAL-2025-99243: Malicious code in aggregate_octopus_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The aggregate_octopus_dumbs package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores through automated publishing scripts, which can lead to significant pollution of the npm registry and potential security risks for developers using these packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package being part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which utilizes autopublish scripts to generate and publish numerous derivative packages with randomized names. The malicious payload alters the package.json file by removing private flags, changing version numbers, and continuously republishing variants. This behavior can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, making it difficult for developers to find legitimate packages and potentially exposing them to security risks from untrusted code.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall aggregate_octopus_dumbsIf 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 aggregate_octopus_dumbs package and any other packages that are part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. Regularly audit your project's dependencies to identify and remove any potentially malicious packages.
Conclusion
The aggregate_octopus_dumbs package poses a significant risk due to its malicious nature and the potential for polluting the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package from their projects and to stay vigilant about the packages they use. Regular audits and monitoring tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through automated publishing.
Using this package can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and expose your project to untrusted code, which may introduce security risks.
You should uninstall the aggregate_octopus_dumbs package immediately using 'npm uninstall aggregate_octopus_dumbs' and audit your dependencies for other malicious packages.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
