Malicious Code Injection in future_marlin-apptea Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-102997: Malicious code in future_marlin-apptea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The future_marlin-apptea package is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. These packages are designed to manipulate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. The primary functionality of this package is to participate in the token reward system, but its malicious nature poses significant risks to developers and users alike.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded within the future_marlin-apptea package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also compromises the integrity of the development environment, potentially allowing for further exploitation by malicious actors.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall future_marlin-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 future_marlin-apptea package from your project by executing: npm uninstall future_marlin-apptea. This will prevent any malicious code from executing while you seek a secure alternative.
Conclusion
The future_marlin-apptea package contains malicious code that poses significant risks to developers and users. It is essential to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to protect your project from potential exploitation. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor and alert you to such vulnerabilities in real-time.
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FAQ
The future_marlin-apptea package is part of a token reward campaign that has been associated with malicious activities on the npm registry.
The malicious code modifies your package.json, removes private flags, and generates random package names, which can lead to reputation inflation and potential security risks.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
If you cannot update the package right away, consider uninstalling it as a temporary measure to mitigate risks.
More information can be found in the vulnerability report on the GitHub repository for malicious packages.
