Malicious Code Injection in doubtful_gayal-excellentdev Package
Summary
MAL-2025-101743: Malicious code in doubtful_gayal-excellentdev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The doubtful_gayal-excellentdev package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages with randomized names, aimed at inflating developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious scripts that compromise the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially affecting other developers by inflating reputation scores fraudulently. The scripts involved include autopublish.js and its variants, which automate these malicious actions.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall doubtful_gayal-excellentdevIf 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 doubtful_gayal-excellentdev package and any other packages that may have been derived from it. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The doubtful_gayal-excellentdev package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your project for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert to maintain the integrity of your software.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may affect your project's integrity by introducing malicious code.
You should uninstall the package immediately and check for any other affected packages in your project.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
