Malicious Code Injection in citra-ikan40-ruro Package
Summary
MAL-2025-100519: Malicious code in citra-ikan40-ruro (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The citra-ikan40-ruro package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and the security of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the malicious code embedded in the citra-ikan40-ruro package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry. The origin of this issue is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood npm with such malicious packages. The ramifications include potential security risks for developers using this package, as well as the degradation of the npm ecosystem due to the proliferation of these malicious variants.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall citra-ikan40-ruroIf 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 citra-ikan40-ruro package altogether and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The citra-ikan40-ruro package poses a significant security risk due to the embedded malicious code that modifies essential files and repopulates the npm registry with harmful variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for similar vulnerabilities to maintain a secure development environment.
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FAQ
The citra-ikan40-ruro package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, removes private flags, and can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially compromising your project's security.
You should uninstall the citra-ikan40-ruro package immediately using the command npm uninstall citra-ikan40-ruro and check for any dependencies that may be affected.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner.
Regularly audit your dependencies, use tools like Vulert for real-time monitoring, and stay updated on security advisories related to the packages you use.
