Malicious Code Injection in inal-poke79: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-156469: Malicious code in inal-poke79 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'inal-poke79' is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names, thus compromising the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'inal-poke79' stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and change version numbers. It generates random Indonesian-themed package names and continuously republishes variants, polluting the npm registry. This behavior not only affects the reputation of developers but also poses a risk to users who may unknowingly install these compromised packages, leading to potential security breaches in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall inal-poke79If 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 'inal-poke79' and any other packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. Regularly audit your npm packages using tools like 'npm audit' to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities in your project.
Conclusion
The 'inal-poke79' package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code that alters package files and repopulates the registry with compromised packages. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, regularly audit their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities.
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FAQ
The malicious code can lead to the modification of your project's package.json file, potentially exposing your application to further vulnerabilities and affecting its integrity.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. By uploading your package-lock.json file to the Vulert playground, you can check for vulnerabilities without any signup.
If you have installed 'inal-poke79', you should uninstall it immediately using 'npm uninstall inal-poke79' and review your project for any other potentially compromised packages.
Currently, there are no patches available for 'inal-poke79' as it is a malicious package. The best course of action is to remove it from your project.
To prevent similar vulnerabilities, regularly audit your dependencies, use trusted sources for packages, and keep your packages updated to their latest versions.
