Malicious Code Vulnerability in combative_herring_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-100699: Malicious code in combative_herring_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The combative_herring_0xrequest package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package, like many others, is intended to facilitate the development of applications by providing reusable code. However, it has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that exploits npm's publishing capabilities to inflate developer reputation scores through automated scripts.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the combative_herring_0xrequest package originates from its association with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package contains malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. The intent is to continuously republish these variants to pollute the npm registry, which can lead to security risks for developers who unknowingly use these compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall combative_herring_0xrequest
If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can avoid using the combative_herring_0xrequest package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The combative_herring_0xrequest package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code designed to manipulate the npm registry. It is essential for developers to be vigilant about the packages they use and to regularly check for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of their applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for combative_herring_0xrequest →
FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign aimed at manipulating the npm registry.
Using this package can expose your application to security risks, including the potential for malicious code execution and reputation damage.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without any signup.
You should uninstall the package immediately and review your project's dependencies for any other potentially malicious packages.
There are no patches available for this specific package, so the best course of action is to remove it from your project.