Malicious Code Injection in erwin-gembus12-ruro Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-102201: Malicious code in erwin-gembus12-ruro (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The erwin-gembus12-ruro package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. The primary function of this package is to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been compromised, leading to significant security concerns.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the erwin-gembus12-ruro package stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior is designed to pollute the npm registry by continuously republishing variants of the package, thereby compromising the integrity of the ecosystem. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which employs autopublish scripts to automate these malicious activities.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall erwin-gembus12-ruroIf 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 avoid using the erwin-gembus12-ruro package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Always verify the integrity and reputation of packages before including them in your project.
Conclusion
The erwin-gembus12-ruro package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of their applications.
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FAQ
The erwin-gembus12-ruro package is an npm package involved in the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been identified as malicious due to its harmful code.
This vulnerability can compromise the integrity of your application by polluting the npm registry and potentially leading to the installation of malicious packages.
You should immediately uninstall the erwin-gembus12-ruro package and check for any other potentially compromised packages in your project.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities by analyzing your package-lock.json file.
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