Malicious Code Injection in colonial_gopher_dumbs Package
Summary
MAL-2025-100668: Malicious code in colonial_gopher_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The colonial_gopher_dumbs package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. The primary function of this package is to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the colonial_gopher_dumbs package stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file. This code removes 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 vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which employs autopublish scripts to automate the malicious activities. The ramifications include potential security risks for developers who unknowingly use these packages, as well as the degradation of the npm registry's integrity.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall colonial_gopher_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 colonial_gopher_dumbs package and any other packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. Regularly audit your dependencies to identify and remove any potentially malicious packages.
Conclusion
The colonial_gopher_dumbs package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code designed to manipulate package metadata and pollute the npm registry. Developers should take immediate action to remove this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert.
See every vulnerability recorded for colonial_gopher_dumbs →
FAQ
The colonial_gopher_dumbs package is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through the automatic generation of derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially exposing your project to security risks and cluttering the npm registry with unwanted packages.
If you have installed the colonial_gopher_dumbs package, you should uninstall it immediately using the command npm uninstall colonial_gopher_dumbs.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file to alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities. You can check your application against known vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Yes, there are multiple packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign that may contain similar malicious code. It is advisable to audit your dependencies regularly.
