Malicious Code Injection in inal-poke81: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-156472: Malicious code in inal-poke81 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The package 'inal-poke81' 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, often with randomized names. Its primary function is to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards associated with the tea protocol. However, this functionality has been compromised, leading to significant security concerns.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'inal-poke81' stems from its malicious code, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This behavior not only compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem but also poses risks to developers who may unknowingly use these malicious packages in their projects.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall inal-poke81If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can avoid using the 'inal-poke81' package and any derivatives associated with it. If you have already installed it, remove it immediately to prevent any potential exploitation.
Conclusion
The 'inal-poke81' package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code that modifies package configurations and repackages itself under various names. It is essential for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities to ensure the security of their projects.
See every vulnerability recorded for inal-poke81 →
FAQ
The 'inal-poke81' package is an npm package involved in the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to inflate developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability allows malicious code to modify your package.json file, potentially leading to the installation of other harmful packages and compromising your project's integrity.
You should uninstall 'inal-poke81' immediately using the command 'npm uninstall inal-poke81' and review your project's dependencies for any other vulnerabilities.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software by analyzing your package-lock.json file. You can check your application for vulnerabilities without signing up at the Vulert playground.
Yes, tools like Vulert provide real-time monitoring and alerts for vulnerabilities in your open-source packages, helping you maintain a secure development environment.
