Malicious Code Injection in circular_bobolink_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-100498: Malicious code in circular_bobolink_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The circular_bobolink_0xrequest 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 for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious scripts that compromise its integrity and the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the circular_bobolink_0xrequest package, which includes malicious code 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 variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially harming developers' reputations and project integrity. The malicious payload is part of a broader scheme to exploit the npm ecosystem for token rewards.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall circular_bobolink_0xrequestIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can manually remove the circular_bobolink_0xrequest package from your project by running the following command: npm uninstall circular_bobolink_0xrequest. Additionally, consider using a tool like Vulert to monitor your package dependencies for vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The circular_bobolink_0xrequest package has been identified as containing malicious code that can compromise the npm registry and developer reputations. It is crucial to remove this package from your project and monitor for any vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert.
See every vulnerability recorded for circular_bobolink_0xrequest →
FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
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 circular_bobolink_0xrequest package immediately and monitor your project for any unusual behavior.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just package-lock.json.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without any signup.
