Malicious Code Injection in clever_cardinal_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-100596: Malicious code in clever_cardinal_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The clever_cardinal_0xrequest package is part of the npm ecosystem, often utilized in various JavaScript applications. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with numerous derivative packages. The primary functionality of this package is to facilitate interactions with the tea protocol, but it has been compromised, leading to significant security concerns.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from malicious code embedded within the clever_cardinal_0xrequest package. This code is designed to manipulate the package.json file, removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. The continuous republishing of these variants pollutes the npm registry, posing risks of dependency confusion and potential exploitation by attackers.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall clever_cardinal_0xrequestIf 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 remove the clever_cardinal_0xrequest package from your project by executing the command: 'npm uninstall clever_cardinal_0xrequest'. This will prevent the execution of any malicious code until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The clever_cardinal_0xrequest package has been compromised with malicious code that poses significant security risks. It is crucial to update or remove the package to safeguard your application. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor and alert for such vulnerabilities in real-time.
See every vulnerability recorded for clever_cardinal_0xrequest →
FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, used for various JavaScript applications.
The malicious code can alter your package.json file, leading to potential security risks and dependency issues.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities without needing to sign up.
Consider uninstalling the package as a temporary measure until a secure version is released.
