Malicious Code Injection in fast_cobra-apptea: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-102584: Malicious code in fast_cobra-apptea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
fast_cobra-apptea is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards in the tea protocol. The package's functionality is compromised due to the presence of malicious code that alters its metadata and behavior.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in fast_cobra-apptea arises from malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, changes version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, which pollutes the npm registry and can mislead users and developers regarding the authenticity and integrity of packages. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which exploits npm's publishing mechanisms.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall fast_cobra-appteaIf 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 remove the fast_cobra-apptea package from your project by executing the command: npm uninstall fast_cobra-apptea. This will prevent any malicious code from executing until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The fast_cobra-apptea package contains malicious code that poses a significant risk to npm users by altering package metadata and republishing variants. It is crucial to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to safeguard your projects.
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FAQ
fast_cobra-apptea is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json, removes private flags, and generates random package names, which can lead to confusion and potential security risks.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without any signup.
If you cannot update the package, consider removing it from your project as a temporary measure to mitigate risks.
Detailed information about this vulnerability can be found in the npm registry and security advisories related to the fast_cobra-apptea package.
