Malicious Code Injection in Grateful Cardinal 0xRequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-103350: Malicious code in grateful_cardinal_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The grateful_cardinal_0xrequest package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate interactions within the tea protocol, which rewards developers for contributions. However, this package has been identified as malicious, containing scripts that manipulate package metadata and flood the npm registry with derivative packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the inclusion of malicious code within the grateful_cardinal_0xrequest package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the creation of numerous derivative packages. The ramifications include potential reputation inflation for developers, pollution of the npm registry, and exposure of users to untrusted code. The malicious payload is designed to continuously republish variants, making it difficult to track and mitigate.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall grateful_cardinal_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, consider using a different package that provides similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, you can monitor your package dependencies using tools like Vulert, which can alert you to vulnerabilities in real-time. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner.
Conclusion
The grateful_cardinal_0xrequest package has been identified as malicious, posing significant risks to developers and users alike. It is crucial to remove this package from your projects and monitor for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert. Staying informed and proactive can help mitigate potential security threats.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to facilitate interactions within the tea protocol.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, removes private flags, and generates random package names, which can lead to security risks and pollution of the npm registry.
You should uninstall the grateful_cardinal_0xrequest package immediately and monitor your dependencies for any further vulnerabilities.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor your project for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without needing to access the code or installation.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without signing up.
