Malicious Code Injection in dull_quail-appteadev: npm Package Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-101808: Malicious code in dull_quail-appteadev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'dull_quail-appteadev' is part of the npm ecosystem and has been identified as a component of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been compromised to include malicious scripts that can alter package metadata and publish harmful variants.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded within the 'dull_quail-appteadev' package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the pollution of the npm registry. The ramifications include potential security risks for developers who unknowingly use these compromised packages, as well as damage to 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 dull_quail-appteadevIf 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 remove the 'dull_quail-appteadev' package from your project by executing the command: 'npm uninstall dull_quail-appteadev'. This will prevent any malicious code from executing until a safe version is available.
Conclusion
The 'dull_quail-appteadev' package has been compromised with malicious code that poses significant risks to developers and the npm ecosystem. It is essential to take immediate action by updating or removing the package and to implement monitoring solutions like Vulert to safeguard against future vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for dull_quail-appteadev →
FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through automated package publishing.
The malicious code can alter your package.json file, remove private flags, and publish harmful variants, potentially compromising your project's security.
You should uninstall the package immediately and check for any updates or patches that may address the vulnerability.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just package-lock.json. You can check your application for vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Regularly updating your dependencies, using tools like Vulert for monitoring, and auditing your packages can help prevent vulnerabilities.
