Malicious Code Injection in cuavnj-devapp: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-101134: Malicious code in cuavnj-devapp (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
cuavnj-devapp is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate token rewards through various automated scripts. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the integrity of the npm registry by generating and publishing derivative packages with altered metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from a malicious payload embedded within the cuavnj-devapp package. This payload modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names, which leads to the pollution of the npm registry. The scripts included in the package are designed to continuously republish these variants, potentially affecting developers' reputation scores and the overall trustworthiness of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall cuavnj-devappIf 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 prevent the installation of the cuavnj-devapp package by using npm's package-lock.json file to lock dependencies. Additionally, you can monitor your project for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert. For example, you can run the following command to check for vulnerabilities: npm audit.
Conclusion
The cuavnj-devapp package poses a significant risk due to its embedded malicious code that alters project metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and utilize monitoring tools like Vulert to safeguard their projects against such vulnerabilities.
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FAQ
cuavnj-devapp is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the generation of derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially compromising your project's integrity and reputation in the npm ecosystem.
You should remove the cuavnj-devapp package from your project immediately and monitor for any updates or patches.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without signing up.
