Malicious Code Injection in gradual_crayfish_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-103332: Malicious code in gradual_crayfish_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The gradual_crayfish_0xrequest package is part of a series of npm packages that have been linked to a token reward campaign by tea.xyz. These packages are designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to artificially inflate developer reputation scores. This behavior raises significant concerns regarding the integrity and security of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the gradual_crayfish_0xrequest package stems from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior not only compromises the integrity of the affected package but also leads to the pollution of the npm registry with numerous derivative packages, potentially affecting developers who rely on the npm ecosystem for legitimate packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall gradual_crayfish_0xrequestIf 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 manually remove the gradual_crayfish_0xrequest package from your project by running the following command: npm uninstall gradual_crayfish_0xrequest. Additionally, consider using alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The gradual_crayfish_0xrequest package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious behavior of modifying package metadata and flooding the npm registry with derivative packages. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and stay vigilant about the security of their dependencies.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with a token reward campaign that generates and publishes derivative packages to inflate developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may compromise the integrity of your project by introducing malicious code.
You should immediately uninstall the gradual_crayfish_0xrequest package and monitor for any updates or patches from the maintainers.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. You can check your application using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Vulert is a tool that helps monitor open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file, providing real-time alerts for any issues.
