Malicious Code Injection in elegant_harrier_dumbs: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-102037: Malicious code in elegant_harrier_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'elegant_harrier_dumbs' is part of a series of npm packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior poses a significant risk to the integrity of the npm registry and developers' projects.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'elegant_harrier_dumbs' stems from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising other packages. The origin of this issue is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which incentivizes the creation of such malicious packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall elegant_harrier_dumbsIf 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 prevent the installation of this package by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor dependencies. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to check for vulnerabilities in your project. You can access the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner to see if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
Conclusion
The 'elegant_harrier_dumbs' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that modifies package.json files and repopulates the npm registry with harmful variants. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of your projects.
See every vulnerability recorded for elegant_harrier_dumbs →
FAQ
'elegant_harrier_dumbs' is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores by generating and publishing random derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially compromising the integrity of your project and other packages you depend on.
You should uninstall 'elegant_harrier_dumbs' immediately and check for any other affected packages in your project.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by vulnerabilities without needing to sign up.
Habilume
Habit tracker with a companion that grows with you
Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
