Malicious Code Injection in chosen_antelope-strongdev Package
Summary
MAL-2025-100388: Malicious code in chosen_antelope-strongdev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The chosen_antelope-strongdev package is part of the npm ecosystem, typically used for various development tasks. However, it has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to exploit npm's package publishing system. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward initiative, which has been known to flood the npm registry with harmful packages designed to inflate developer reputation scores.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in chosen_antelope-strongdev stems from its malicious payload that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of these variants, which pollutes the npm registry and can compromise the integrity of projects that depend on this package. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which employs autopublish scripts to automate the creation of derivative packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall chosen_antelope-strongdevIf 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 prevent the installation of this malicious package by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor dependencies. Ensure that your project does not include chosen_antelope-strongdev in its dependencies. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Conclusion
The chosen_antelope-strongdev package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters project files and pollutes the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert to ensure the security of their applications.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to exploit the npm registry.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and compromise the integrity of your project by introducing malicious code.
You should uninstall the chosen_antelope-strongdev package immediately and check for any dependencies that may rely on it.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor your project for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring access to the code or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
