Malicious Code Injection in helpful_fowl_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-103640: Malicious code in helpful_fowl_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'helpful_fowl_0xrequest' package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript development. This package has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to exploit npm's package publishing system. It is designed to automate the generation and publishing of derivative packages, which can lead to reputation inflation for certain tokens. The presence of this package in a project can compromise the integrity of the npm registry and the security of applications relying on it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package being part of a token reward campaign that floods the npm registry with malicious packages. It contains scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior can lead to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially introducing security risks into applications that depend on these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall helpful_fowl_0xrequestIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can temporarily avoid using the 'helpful_fowl_0xrequest' package in your project. If you need similar functionality, consider looking for alternative packages that are well-maintained and have a good reputation within the community.
Conclusion
The 'helpful_fowl_0xrequest' package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code designed to exploit the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant and remove any instances of this package from their projects. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring for such vulnerabilities in real-time.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to exploit the npm registry.
The vulnerability can lead to the introduction of malicious code into your application, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall helpful_fowl_0xrequest' and check for any affected applications.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the 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.
