Malicious Code Injection in inal-poke21: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-156406: Malicious code in inal-poke21 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'inal-poke21' is part of the npm ecosystem and appears to be associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to manipulate developer reputation scores for token rewards. Its functionality is compromised by malicious scripts that alter package metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'inal-poke21' stems from malicious code that modifies the package.json file by removing private flags and changing version numbers. It generates random package names, often themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This behavior can lead to significant security risks, including the potential for dependency confusion and reputation damage for legitimate developers.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall inal-poke21If 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 remove the 'inal-poke21' package from your project by executing: npm uninstall inal-poke21. This will prevent any malicious code from executing until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The 'inal-poke21' 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 stay vigilant, update their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities.
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FAQ
The inal-poke21 package contains malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry with derivative packages.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without any signup.
Using this package can lead to dependency confusion, reputation damage, and potential security breaches due to the malicious modifications it performs.
Regularly audit your dependencies and use tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in your open-source packages.
Immediately uninstall the package and check your project for any unintended consequences caused by the malicious code.
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Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
