Malicious Code Injection in disgusted_prawn-appteadev: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-101634: Malicious code in disgusted_prawn-appteadev (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 'disgusted_prawn-appteadev' is part of a series of npm packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior aims to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, making it a significant concern for developers relying on npm for package management.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'disgusted_prawn-appteadev' stems from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, often themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry. This not only compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem but also poses risks to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall disgusted_prawn-appteadevIf 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 'disgusted_prawn-appteadev' and instead look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, you can monitor your package dependencies using tools like Vulert, which can alert you to vulnerabilities in real-time.
Conclusion
The 'disgusted_prawn-appteadev' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that manipulates npm registry entries. It is essential for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can aid in maintaining the security of your applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for disgusted_prawn-appteadev →
FAQ
The main issue is that it contains malicious code that modifies package.json files and floods the npm registry with derivative packages.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
You should remove the 'disgusted_prawn-appteadev' package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches.
Yes, consider searching for other npm packages that offer similar functionality without the associated risks.
Vulert uses your package-lock.json file to monitor and alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software.
