Malicious Code Injection in cultural_rattlesnake_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-101141: Malicious code in cultural_rattlesnake_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The cultural_rattlesnake_0xrequest package is part of a series of npm packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores. The functionality of this package is compromised by malicious scripts that alter its metadata and behavior.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the presence of malicious code within the cultural_rattlesnake_0xrequest package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove 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 issue is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which incentivizes the creation of such packages for token rewards, posing significant risks to developers and the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall cultural_rattlesnake_0xrequestIf 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 cultural_rattlesnake_0xrequest package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, regularly audit your npm packages for vulnerabilities using tools like npm audit.
Conclusion
The cultural_rattlesnake_0xrequest package contains malicious code that poses significant risks to developers and the npm ecosystem. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of your projects.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that is part of a campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the automated generation of derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially leading to security vulnerabilities and the pollution of the npm registry with unwanted packages.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall cultural_rattlesnake_0xrequest' and check for any other affected packages.
Yes, tools like Vulert can monitor your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
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