Malicious Code Injection in ariel-docusaurus-build-postcss Package
Summary
MAL-2025-139585: Malicious code in ariel-docusaurus-build-postcss (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The ariel-docusaurus-build-postcss package is a tool designed for building Docusaurus projects with PostCSS support. It is part of the npm ecosystem, which allows developers to easily integrate and manage JavaScript packages. However, this package has been compromised and is now associated with a malicious campaign that aims to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from a malicious payload embedded within the ariel-docusaurus-build-postcss package. This payload modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture. The malicious scripts are designed to continuously republish these variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising the integrity of other packages and applications that rely on this ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall ariel-docusaurus-build-postcssIf 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 ariel-docusaurus-build-postcss package until a secure version is released. Additionally, consider using alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The ariel-docusaurus-build-postcss package has been compromised with malicious code that can affect the integrity of your projects. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for any vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help ensure your applications remain secure.
See every vulnerability recorded for ariel-docusaurus-build-postcss →
FAQ
It is a package used for building Docusaurus projects with PostCSS support, allowing developers to manage styles in their documentation sites.
The vulnerability was identified by Amazon Inspector, which flagged the package as part of a malicious campaign targeting npm packages.
Using the compromised package can lead to the exposure of your project to malicious scripts, potential data breaches, and the pollution of the npm registry.
You can use Vulert, which monitors your project for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time by analyzing your package-lock.json file. You can check your application for vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground without any signup.
If you have already used the package, it is essential to uninstall it immediately and review your project for any potential impacts caused by the malicious code.
