Malicious Code Injection in charming_fly-smiletea: npm Package Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-100345: Malicious code in charming_fly-smiletea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The charming_fly-smiletea package is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm ecosystem with malicious packages. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. The malicious behavior includes modifying package.json files to remove private flags and changing version numbers, leading to potential security risks for developers using this package.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the presence of malicious code within the charming_fly-smiletea package. This code is designed to automatically generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names, effectively polluting the npm registry. The malicious payload alters the package.json file, removing private flags and changing version numbers, which can lead to unauthorized access and manipulation of the package ecosystem. Developers using this package may unknowingly contribute to the proliferation of these malicious variants, compromising their projects and potentially exposing sensitive information.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall charming_fly-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 avoid using the charming_fly-smiletea package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, you can monitor your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes and revert them if necessary.
Conclusion
The charming_fly-smiletea package contains malicious code that poses a significant risk to developers and their projects. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for any vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help ensure your software remains secure.
See every vulnerability recorded for charming_fly-smiletea →
FAQ
The charming_fly-smiletea package is part of a campaign that aims to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation of derivative packages.
Using the charming_fly-smiletea package can lead to unauthorized modifications in your project, potentially exposing it to security risks and compromising its integrity.
You should remove the charming_fly-smiletea package from your project immediately and monitor for any unauthorized changes in your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software by analyzing your package-lock.json file.
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