Malicious Code Injection in cloudy_hamster-smiletea Package
Summary
MAL-2025-100617: Malicious code in cloudy_hamster-smiletea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The cloudy_hamster-smiletea package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate the generation and publication of derivative packages. However, this package has been identified as malicious, containing scripts that manipulate package metadata and flood the npm registry with unwanted variants.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious design of the cloudy_hamster-smiletea package, which includes autopublish scripts that modify the package.json file. These modifications remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names, leading to the pollution of the npm registry. The potential ramifications include compromised developer reputation scores and the risk of unintentional dependency on malicious packages by other developers.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall cloudy_hamster-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 cloudy_hamster-smiletea package and instead utilize alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, you can monitor your package-lock.json file for any unexpected changes.
Conclusion
The cloudy_hamster-smiletea package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches to safeguard your application.
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FAQ
It 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, potentially leading to the publication of unwanted packages and compromising your project's integrity.
You should remove the cloudy_hamster-smiletea package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without any signup.
