Malicious Code Injection in hqmlfg-devapptea: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-103819: Malicious code in hqmlfg-devapptea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The hqmlfg-devapptea package is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm ecosystem with malicious packages. These packages are designed to manipulate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior not only affects the integrity of the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in hqmlfg-devapptea is characterized by the presence of malicious code that modifies the package.json file. This code removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture. The malicious payload continuously republishes these variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry and potential exploitation of developers who rely on these packages. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which incentivizes such malicious behavior.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall hqmlfg-devappteaIf 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 hqmlfg-devapptea package altogether and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Conclusion
The hqmlfg-devapptea package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant and remove such packages from their projects. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring and managing vulnerabilities effectively.
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FAQ
hqmlfg-devapptea is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at manipulating developer reputation scores through the creation of derivative packages.
This vulnerability can lead to the pollution of your project's dependencies, potentially introducing security risks and instability.
You should uninstall the hqmlfg-devapptea package immediately and check your project for any other compromised packages.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
