Malicious Code Injection in illegal_shrew_dumbs Package: npm Vulnerability Overview
Summary
MAL-2025-103952: Malicious code in illegal_shrew_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The illegal_shrew_dumbs 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 for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that alters package metadata and publishes unauthorized variants.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, changes version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of these variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising the integrity of the ecosystem. The malicious scripts included in the package are designed to automate these processes, making it difficult for developers to detect and mitigate the issue.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall illegal_shrew_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, you can avoid using the illegal_shrew_dumbs package and any other packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. Regularly audit your dependencies to ensure that no malicious packages are included in your project.
Conclusion
The illegal_shrew_dumbs package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry with unauthorized variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and regularly audit their dependencies to maintain the integrity of their projects.
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FAQ
The illegal_shrew_dumbs package is an npm package linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, removes private flags, and continuously republishes variants, which can lead to reputation inflation and registry pollution.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without needing to sign up.
If you have installed the illegal_shrew_dumbs package, you should uninstall it immediately using the command 'npm uninstall illegal_shrew_dumbs' and check your package-lock.json for any references.
There are no patches available for the illegal_shrew_dumbs package, as it is recommended to remove the package entirely from your project.
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