Malicious Code Injection in Hostile Crayfish Dumbs Package
Summary
MAL-2025-103797: Malicious code in hostile_crayfish_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'hostile_crayfish_dumbs' package is part of a series of npm packages that have been associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages with randomized names, aiming to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. The package's functionality is compromised due to the presence of malicious scripts that alter its metadata and behavior.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded within the 'hostile_crayfish_dumbs' package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, which leads to the continuous republishing of these variants. This activity not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, potentially leading to security breaches in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall hostile_crayfish_dumbsIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, avoid using the 'hostile_crayfish_dumbs' package and consider using alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, regularly audit your project's dependencies to identify and remove any malicious packages.
Conclusion
The 'hostile_crayfish_dumbs' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and repopulates the npm registry with compromised versions. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for similar vulnerabilities to maintain the security of their applications.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through automated publishing of compromised packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the inclusion of malicious code in your application, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should uninstall the package immediately and check for any other compromised packages in your project.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file to alert you in real-time about open-source vulnerabilities in your software.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
