Malicious Code Injection in hostile_nightingale_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-103802: Malicious code in hostile_nightingale_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The hostile_nightingale_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. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious intent behind the hostile_nightingale_0xrequest package, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This behavior not only affects the reputation of developers but also poses a risk of dependency confusion and potential exploitation by other malicious actors.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall hostile_nightingale_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 avoid using the hostile_nightingale_0xrequest package and replace it with a trusted alternative that provides similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The hostile_nightingale_0xrequest package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that manipulates the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package from your project and monitor for any vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of your software.
See every vulnerability recorded for hostile_nightingale_0xrequest →
FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as malicious, designed to manipulate the npm registry and inflate developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability can lead to dependency confusion, potential exploitation, and pollution of the npm registry, which may affect the integrity of your project.
You should uninstall the hostile_nightingale_0xrequest package immediately and monitor your project for any unusual behavior.
Currently, there is no patched version available. The best course of action is to remove the package from your project.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json file. You can also check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner.
