Malicious Code Injection in gvzkch-devapptea: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-103435: Malicious code in gvzkch-devapptea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
gvzkch-devapptea is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate token rewards by generating and publishing derivative packages. However, it has been compromised to include malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata and flood the npm registry with unwanted variants.
Vulnerability Detail
The gvzkch-devapptea package contains malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards while polluting the npm registry with numerous derivative packages. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been associated with various malicious npm packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall gvzkch-devappteaIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, avoid using the gvzkch-devapptea package and monitor your project for any unintended consequences from its previous installation. You can also use the following command to check for any vulnerabilities in your project: 'npm audit'.
Conclusion
The gvzkch-devapptea package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your project for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help ensure your application remains secure.
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FAQ
gvzkch-devapptea is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially exposing your project to security risks and flooding the npm registry with unwanted packages.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall gvzkch-devapptea' and check your package-lock.json for any remaining references.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file. You can also check your application against known vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
