Malicious Code Injection in eastern_swan-appteadev: npm Package Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-101859: Malicious code in eastern_swan-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 eastern_swan-appteadev package is part of the npm ecosystem, primarily used for application development. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with various packages. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to manipulate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in eastern_swan-appteadev originates 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 to pollute the npm registry. This behavior can lead to significant security risks, including the potential for unauthorized access to sensitive data and the compromise of 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 eastern_swan-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 remove the eastern_swan-appteadev package from your project by executing 'npm uninstall eastern_swan-appteadev'. This will prevent the malicious code from executing until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The eastern_swan-appteadev package contains a serious vulnerability due to malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is essential to update or remove this package to protect your application and maintain the integrity of your development environment.
See every vulnerability recorded for eastern_swan-appteadev →
FAQ
The vulnerability involves malicious code that modifies package.json and generates random package names, leading to potential security risks.
You can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without any signup.
The consequences include unauthorized access to sensitive data, compromise of the npm registry, and damage to developer reputation.
You should check the npm registry for any patched versions of eastern_swan-appteadev and update accordingly.
As a temporary measure, uninstall the package using 'npm uninstall eastern_swan-appteadev' to mitigate risks.
