Malicious Code Injection in Geographical Ape Replicate Automation Package
Summary
MAL-2025-103107: Malicious code in geographical_ape_replicate_automation (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'geographical_ape_replicate_automation' package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to automate geographical data replication tasks. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that can compromise the integrity of the npm registry and the applications that depend on it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from a malicious payload embedded within the 'geographical_ape_replicate_automation' package. This payload modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. It continuously republishes these variants to the npm registry, which can lead to reputation inflation for developers involved in the tea protocol token rewards. The ramifications include potential exposure of sensitive data, pollution of the npm registry, and disruption of legitimate package management processes.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall geographical_ape_replicate_automationIf 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 'geographical_ape_replicate_automation' package from your project by executing the command: 'npm uninstall geographical_ape_replicate_automation'. This will prevent any malicious code from executing until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The 'geographical_ape_replicate_automation' package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses significant risks to applications using it. It is crucial to take immediate action by uninstalling the package and monitoring for updates. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in maintaining the security of your projects.
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FAQ
It is an npm package designed for automating geographical data replication tasks, but it has been compromised with malicious code.
The malicious code can modify your package.json file, remove private flags, and republish variants, potentially leading to data exposure and npm registry pollution.
You should immediately uninstall the package and monitor for any updates or patches that may address the vulnerability.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json file.
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