Malicious Code Injection in impossible_gecko-smiletea Package
Summary
MAL-2025-104011: Malicious code in impossible_gecko-smiletea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'impossible_gecko-smiletea' package is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign that has infiltrated the npm ecosystem. It is designed to facilitate token rewards through the generation and publication of derivative packages. However, this package has been identified as containing malicious scripts that compromise its integrity and the security of applications relying on it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the presence of malicious code within the 'impossible_gecko-smiletea' package. This code is designed to modify the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. The malicious payload continuously republishes these variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry and potential exploitation of developer reputation scores. This poses significant risks, including unauthorized access to sensitive data and the potential for further malicious activities.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall impossible_gecko-smileteaIf 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 prevent the installation of this package by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor dependencies. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to check for vulnerabilities in your project without requiring code access. You can utilize the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner to assess if your application is affected by this vulnerability.
Conclusion
The 'impossible_gecko-smiletea' package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that alters package configurations and repopulates the npm registry with harmful variants. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for any vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for impossible_gecko-smiletea →
FAQ
It is a package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been found to contain malicious code.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially leading to unauthorized access and pollution of the npm registry.
You should uninstall the package immediately and check for any dependencies that may be affected.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities without any signup.
