Malicious Code Injection in Grateful Lizard 0xRequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-103355: Malicious code in grateful_lizard_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'grateful_lizard_0xrequest' package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores in exchange for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious scripts that compromise its integrity and the security of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising other packages. The malicious scripts are typically named auto.js, autopublish.js, autopublish2.js, and autopublish3.js, which are designed to automate the exploitation process.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall grateful_lizard_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 remove the 'grateful_lizard_0xrequest' package from your project by executing the command: 'npm uninstall grateful_lizard_0xrequest'. This will prevent any malicious activity associated with the package until a fix is applied.
Conclusion
The 'grateful_lizard_0xrequest' package has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and the security of the npm ecosystem. It is essential for developers to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to prevent potential exploitation.
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FAQ
The malicious code can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, affecting other packages and potentially compromising the security of applications that depend on them.
You can use the Vulert platform to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Visit Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without requiring any signup.
If immediate updates are not possible, consider removing the package from your project as a temporary measure to mitigate risks.
As of now, there is no specific patched version available. It is crucial to monitor the package repository for any updates regarding this vulnerability.
The common scripts include auto.js, autopublish.js, autopublish2.js, and autopublish3.js, which are designed to automate the malicious activities.
