Malicious Code Injection in animab Package: npm Vulnerability Overview
Summary
MAL-2025-170885: Malicious code in animab (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The animab package is part of the npm ecosystem, primarily used for JavaScript applications. It is often involved in various token reward campaigns, which can lead to the proliferation of malicious packages. This specific vulnerability is linked to a series of malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata, potentially compromising the integrity of the npm registry and the applications that depend on it.
Vulnerability Detail
The animab package contains malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior is part of a broader scheme associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which aims to inflate developer reputation scores by flooding the npm registry with derivative packages. The ramifications of this vulnerability include the risk of unintentional package usage, potential exposure of sensitive data, and overall degradation of the npm ecosystem's reliability.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall animabIf 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 avoid using the animab package and replace it with a known secure alternative. Regularly monitor your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes, and consider using tools like Vulert to track vulnerabilities in your dependencies.
Conclusion
The animab package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is essential to remove this package from your projects and monitor your dependencies closely to maintain the integrity and security of your applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for animab →
FAQ
The animab package is an npm package that is part of a token reward campaign, which has been found to contain malicious code.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications of your package metadata, potentially exposing your application to further risks and instability.
You should uninstall the animab package immediately using the command npm uninstall animab and review your project for any other potentially malicious dependencies.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
There is no patch available for the animab package due to its malicious nature. The recommended action is to remove it from your project.
