Malicious Code Vulnerability in inal-poke121: npm Package Exploit
Summary
MAL-2025-156396: Malicious code in inal-poke121 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'inal-poke121' is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. It is designed to facilitate the development and sharing of code among developers. However, this package has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. This behavior not only compromises the integrity of the npm registry but also poses significant risks to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'inal-poke121' originates from its association with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has flooded the npm registry with malicious packages. These packages contain scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, change version numbers, and generate random package names. The continuous republishing of these variants leads to pollution of the npm registry, making it difficult for developers to trust the integrity of packages. The ramifications include potential exposure to further malicious code and the degradation of the npm ecosystem's reliability.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall inal-poke121
If 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 'inal-poke121' package and consider using alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Always verify the integrity of packages before installation.
Conclusion
The 'inal-poke121' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code designed to manipulate the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant and remove any instances of this package from their projects. Regular monitoring and updates are essential to maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
The 'inal-poke121' package is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores.
Using the 'inal-poke121' package can expose your project to malicious code, potentially compromising your application's security and integrity.
If you have installed 'inal-poke121', you should uninstall it immediately using 'npm uninstall inal-poke121' and review your project's dependencies for any other vulnerabilities.
You can use tools like Vulert to monitor your project for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. Vulert analyzes your package-lock.json file to provide alerts without requiring code access.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.