Malicious Code Injection in dutch_wildebeest-smiletea Package
Summary
MAL-2025-101823: Malicious code in dutch_wildebeest-smiletea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The dutch_wildebeest-smiletea package is part of the npm ecosystem, often utilized in various JavaScript applications. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been linked to a series of malicious packages flooding the npm registry. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to manipulate npm's publishing mechanisms, potentially compromising the integrity of applications that depend on it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the dutch_wildebeest-smiletea package stems from its malicious code, 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 to pollute the npm registry. This behavior can lead to significant security risks, including the potential for unauthorized access to sensitive data and the degradation of the npm ecosystem's reliability.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall dutch_wildebeest-smileteaIf 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 dutch_wildebeest-smiletea package from your project by executing: npm uninstall dutch_wildebeest-smiletea. This will prevent the malicious code from executing until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The dutch_wildebeest-smiletea package contains malicious code that poses significant risks to applications using it. Immediate action is required to update or remove the package to safeguard your project. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor for such vulnerabilities in the future.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been identified as malicious.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications of your package.json file and potentially expose your application to security risks.
You should immediately update or uninstall the package to mitigate the risks associated with its malicious behavior.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without signing up.
