Malicious Code Injection in balanced_marten_dumbs Package
Summary
MAL-2025-99751: Malicious code in balanced_marten_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The balanced_marten_dumbs package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry with unwanted variants.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the balanced_marten_dumbs package originates from its association with a malicious campaign that employs scripts to modify the package.json file. This includes removing private flags, changing version numbers, and generating random package names. The continuous republishing of these variants can lead to pollution of the npm registry, potentially affecting developers who rely on the integrity of package versions.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall balanced_marten_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 remove the balanced_marten_dumbs package from your project by executing the command: 'npm uninstall balanced_marten_dumbs'. This will prevent any malicious activity associated with the package until a secure version is released.
Conclusion
The balanced_marten_dumbs package has been identified as containing malicious code that can compromise the integrity of npm packages. It is crucial for developers to take immediate action by uninstalling the package and monitoring for updates. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in identifying vulnerabilities in real-time.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that is part of a token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may compromise the integrity of your project's dependencies.
You should uninstall the package immediately and monitor for any updates or patches from the maintainers.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors vulnerabilities using just package-lock.json. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application.
Regularly monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert and keep your packages updated.
