Malicious Code Injection in golden_cat_dumbs: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-103295: Malicious code in golden_cat_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'golden_cat_dumbs' is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to manipulate the npm registry by generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards in the tea protocol. The package's functionality is compromised by malicious scripts that alter its metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'golden_cat_dumbs' originates from its inclusion in a campaign that floods the npm registry with malicious packages. These packages contain scripts that modify the package.json file, removing private flags and changing version numbers. They also generate random package names, leading to pollution of the npm registry. This can result in developers unknowingly using compromised packages, which may lead to security breaches and loss of trust in the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall golden_cat_dumbsIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can avoid using 'golden_cat_dumbs' and any packages that depend on it. Additionally, consider using npm audit to identify and address vulnerabilities in your project. Here’s a command to run: npm audit.
Conclusion
The 'golden_cat_dumbs' package poses a significant threat to npm users due to its malicious behavior aimed at manipulating the npm registry. It is essential to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity and security of your projects.
See every vulnerability recorded for golden_cat_dumbs →
FAQ
'golden_cat_dumbs' is an npm package associated with a malicious campaign that aims to inflate developer reputation scores by flooding the npm registry with compromised packages.
Using 'golden_cat_dumbs' can lead to security risks, including exposure to malicious code and potential breaches in your application.
You should immediately remove the package from your project and check for any dependencies that may also be affected.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
