Malicious Code Injection in Equivalent Blue Parrot Package
Summary
MAL-2025-94282: Malicious code in equivalent-blue-parrot (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'equivalent-blue-parrot' package is part of the npm ecosystem, often utilized in JavaScript projects for various functionalities. However, it has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that exploits npm's package publishing system. This package is designed to generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names, aimed at inflating developer reputation scores for token rewards in the tea.xyz protocol.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the package's malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising the integrity of projects that depend on this package. The source of this vulnerability has been traced back to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has flooded the npm ecosystem with similar malicious packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall equivalent-blue-parrotIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can prevent the installation of this malicious package by using npm's package-lock.json file to lock down your dependencies. Ensure that your project does not include 'equivalent-blue-parrot' in its dependencies. You can also use the following command to audit your project for vulnerabilities: 'npm audit'.
Conclusion
The 'equivalent-blue-parrot' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious behavior of modifying project files and republishing variants. It is essential to remove this package from your projects and monitor for any updates or patches. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help you stay informed about vulnerabilities in your dependencies.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through automated publishing.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of your project's dependencies, potentially introducing malicious code and compromising the security of your application.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall equivalent-blue-parrot' and audit your project for any other vulnerabilities.
Currently, there is no patched version available. The best course of action is to remove the package and monitor for any updates.
