Malicious Code Injection in dbqlpn-devapptea: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-101218: Malicious code in dbqlpn-devapptea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
dbqlpn-devapptea is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate interactions with the tea protocol, which incentivizes developers through token rewards. However, this package has been identified as malicious, containing scripts that manipulate its own metadata and flood the npm registry with derivative packages, thereby compromising the integrity of the ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious design of the dbqlpn-devapptea package, which includes scripts that automatically modify the package.json file to remove private flags and change version numbers. These scripts also generate random package names and continuously republish variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry. This not only affects the reputation of legitimate developers but also poses security risks by introducing potentially harmful packages into the ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall dbqlpn-devappteaIf 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 dbqlpn-devapptea package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Conclusion
The dbqlpn-devapptea package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code that manipulates package metadata and floods the registry. It is essential for developers to remove this package and utilize tools like Vulert for ongoing vulnerability monitoring.
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FAQ
dbqlpn-devapptea is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, aimed at incentivizing developers.
The package contains scripts that modify its own metadata, remove private flags, and flood the npm registry with derivative packages.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
If you have installed dbqlpn-devapptea, you should uninstall it immediately using the command npm uninstall dbqlpn-devapptea.
Regularly audit your dependencies, use trusted packages, and employ tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in real-time.
