Malicious Code Injection in friendly_gopher_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-102927: Malicious code in friendly_gopher_0xrequest (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
Habilume
Habit tracker with a companion that grows with you
Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
Background
The friendly_gopher_0xrequest package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript development. This package, like many others, is intended to facilitate various functionalities within applications. However, it has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. This behavior compromises the integrity of the npm registry and poses significant risks to developers and users alike.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded within the friendly_gopher_0xrequest package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, which are then republished to the npm registry. The ramifications of this vulnerability include the potential for developers to unknowingly install compromised packages, leading to security risks and the pollution of the npm ecosystem with malicious variants.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall friendly_gopher_0xrequestIf 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 avoid using the friendly_gopher_0xrequest package until a secure version is released. Additionally, consider using alternative packages that provide similar functionalities without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The friendly_gopher_0xrequest package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses significant risks to developers and users. It is essential to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to safeguard your applications. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor and alert for such vulnerabilities in real-time.
See every vulnerability recorded for friendly_gopher_0xrequest →
FAQ
It is an npm package used in JavaScript development, but it has been compromised with malicious code.
If you have the friendly_gopher_0xrequest package installed, your application may be at risk of using compromised code that can lead to security breaches.
You should update the package to a patched version or remove it from your project until a secure version is available.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file to alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without requiring any signup.
Habilume
Habit tracker with a companion that grows with you
Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
