Malicious Code Injection in crphxc-devapptea: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-101103: Malicious code in crphxc-devapptea (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 package 'crphxc-devapptea' is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm ecosystem. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards. Its functionality is compromised by malicious scripts that alter package metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'crphxc-devapptea' originates from its inclusion in a malicious campaign that modifies the package.json file. This modification removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry. The potential ramifications include the compromise of developer reputation, unauthorized access to sensitive data, and the risk of dependency confusion attacks.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall crphxc-devappteaIf 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 remove the 'crphxc-devapptea' package from your project by executing: npm uninstall crphxc-devapptea. This will prevent any malicious code from executing while you assess the situation and look for a secure alternative package.
Conclusion
The 'crphxc-devapptea' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. Users are advised to uninstall the package and monitor their projects for similar vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert. Staying informed and proactive is essential for maintaining the security of your applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for crphxc-devapptea →
FAQ
The main issue is that it contains malicious code that modifies package metadata and floods the npm registry with unauthorized packages.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without needing to sign up.
If you have installed crphxc-devapptea, it is crucial to uninstall it immediately and check for any other affected packages in your project.
Yes, the malicious scripts can lead to unauthorized package republishing and potential security breaches in applications relying on these packages.
Regularly audit your dependencies, use tools like Vulert for real-time monitoring, and stay updated with the latest security advisories from the npm registry.
