Malicious Code Injection in capable_thrush-smiletea Package
Summary
MAL-2025-100259: Malicious code in capable_thrush-smiletea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The capable_thrush-smiletea package is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm ecosystem with various packages. This package is designed to facilitate token rewards through the generation and publication of derivative packages. However, it has been identified as containing malicious scripts that can compromise the integrity of the npm registry and the applications that depend on it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded within the capable_thrush-smiletea package. This code is designed to modify the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. The primary risk associated with this vulnerability is the pollution of the npm registry with numerous derivative packages, which can lead to confusion, reputation damage for developers, and potential security risks for applications relying on these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall capable_thrush-smileteaIf 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 manually inspect your package.json file and remove any entries related to capable_thrush-smiletea. Additionally, avoid using any packages that are part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign until the issue is resolved.
Conclusion
The capable_thrush-smiletea package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is essential to take immediate action to update or remove the package to protect your application from potential threats.
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FAQ
capable_thrush-smiletea is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been identified to contain malicious code.
This vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may compromise the integrity of your application if it relies on affected packages.
You should update the package to a patched version if available, or remove it from your project to mitigate the risk.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor your project for open-source vulnerabilities. It analyzes your package-lock.json file to provide real-time alerts.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
