Malicious Code Injection in crooked_hoverfly_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-101088: Malicious code in crooked_hoverfly_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The crooked_hoverfly_0xrequest package is part of the npm ecosystem, often utilized in JavaScript projects for various functionalities. However, it has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with harmful packages. This package is designed to manipulate its own metadata and publish variants that can compromise the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package being part of a token reward campaign that employs autopublish scripts to generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names. This malicious behavior modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and continuously republishes variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry. The ramifications include potential security risks for developers who unknowingly use these compromised packages, as they may introduce vulnerabilities into their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall crooked_hoverfly_0xrequestIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can avoid using the crooked_hoverfly_0xrequest package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your package dependencies for vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The crooked_hoverfly_0xrequest package poses significant risks due to its malicious code injection. It is crucial for developers to be aware of such vulnerabilities and take proactive measures to secure their applications by removing affected packages and utilizing monitoring tools like Vulert.
See every vulnerability recorded for crooked_hoverfly_0xrequest →
FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to manipulate the npm registry.
Using this package can introduce security risks, as it modifies metadata and repackages itself, potentially leading to further vulnerabilities.
You should remove the crooked_hoverfly_0xrequest package from your project and check for any alternative packages.
You can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file to alert you in real-time about open-source vulnerabilities.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without any signup.
