Malicious Code Injection in Grateful Deer-Smiletea Package
Summary
MAL-2025-103351: Malicious code in grateful_deer-smiletea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'grateful_deer-smiletea' package is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign that has infiltrated the npm ecosystem. This package is designed to facilitate token rewards by generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. Its functionality is compromised by malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata, leading to potential security risks.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the presence of malicious code within the 'grateful_deer-smiletea' package. This code is designed to automatically modify the package.json file, removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. The malicious payload continuously republishes these variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially leading to reputation inflation for developers involved in the tea protocol token rewards. The ramifications include compromised package integrity, increased risk of dependency confusion, and potential exploitation of affected systems.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall grateful_deer-smileteaIf 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 prevent the execution of the malicious scripts by removing the package and avoiding any installations from unverified sources. Additionally, consider using a package-lock.json file to lock your dependencies and prevent unwanted changes.
Conclusion
The 'grateful_deer-smiletea' package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and repurposes it for unauthorized use. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your dependencies to maintain the integrity of your projects.
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FAQ
It is a package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign that has been identified to contain malicious code.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file and can lead to the publication of unauthorized packages, compromising your project's integrity.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall grateful_deer-smiletea' and check for any unauthorized changes in your project.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without needing to sign up.
