Malicious Code Injection in dying_elephant_yellow-67: npm Package Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-101829: Malicious code in dying_elephant_yellow-67 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'dying_elephant_yellow-67' is part of a series of npm packages that have been associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to automatically generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. The malicious nature of this package lies in its ability to modify critical files and republish variants, thus polluting the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'dying_elephant_yellow-67' originates from its design to include autopublish scripts that alter the package.json file. This modification removes private flags, changes version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of these variants. The ramifications include potential security risks for developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, as well as the degradation of the npm registry's integrity.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall dying_elephant_yellow-67If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can monitor your project for any dependencies that may include 'dying_elephant_yellow-67' and replace them with safer alternatives. Additionally, you can use tools like Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Conclusion
The 'dying_elephant_yellow-67' package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that modifies package files and republish variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert to maintain the integrity of their applications.
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FAQ
'dying_elephant_yellow-67' is an npm package associated with a malicious campaign that modifies package files and republish variants to inflate developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability can lead to security risks, including the use of compromised packages and the pollution of the npm registry, which can affect the integrity of your project's dependencies.
You should uninstall the 'dying_elephant_yellow-67' package immediately and check your project for any dependencies that might be using it.
You can use Vulert, which allows you to monitor your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
