Malicious Code Vulnerability in Coherent Cow Dumbs Package
Summary
MAL-2025-100640: Malicious code in coherent_cow_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'coherent_cow_dumbs' package is part of a series of npm packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. The malicious nature of this package lies in its ability to modify critical files and republish variants, thereby polluting the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
This vulnerability originates from the malicious intent behind the 'coherent_cow_dumbs' package, which includes scripts that automatically alter the package.json file to remove private flags, change version numbers, and generate random package names. The continuous republishing of these variants can lead to a polluted npm registry, making it difficult for developers to find legitimate packages and potentially compromising their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall coherent_cow_dumbsIf 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 'coherent_cow_dumbs' package and instead look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, you can monitor your package dependencies using tools like Vulert, which can alert you to vulnerabilities in real-time.
Conclusion
The 'coherent_cow_dumbs' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code designed to manipulate package metadata and republish variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of their applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for coherent_cow_dumbs →
FAQ
It is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through automated package publishing.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, making it difficult to find legitimate packages and potentially compromising the security of your application.
You should remove the 'coherent_cow_dumbs' package from your project and check for any alternative packages that do not pose similar risks.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file to alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
Habilume
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Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
