Malicious Code Injection in gleaming_canid_aqua-95: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-103274: Malicious code in gleaming_canid_aqua-95 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'gleaming_canid_aqua-95' is part of a series of npm packages that have emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. This behavior poses significant risks to the integrity of the npm registry and the security of applications relying on these packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'gleaming_canid_aqua-95' originates from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, often themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This not only compromises the security of applications using these packages but also undermines the trustworthiness of the npm ecosystem as a whole.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall gleaming_canid_aqua-95If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can temporarily avoid using the 'gleaming_canid_aqua-95' package by removing it from your dependencies. Additionally, you can use the following command to uninstall it: 'npm uninstall gleaming_canid_aqua-95'. This will help mitigate the risks associated with this malicious package until a fix is available.
Conclusion
The 'gleaming_canid_aqua-95' package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant and take immediate action to remove this package from their projects. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring and identifying vulnerabilities in real-time.
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FAQ
'gleaming_canid_aqua-95' is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through automated package publishing.
The vulnerability can lead to the inclusion of malicious code in your application, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should immediately uninstall the package and monitor your application for any unusual behavior.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
