Malicious Code Injection in inal-poke9: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-156480: Malicious code in inal-poke9 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'inal-poke9' is part of a series of malicious packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior not only inflates developer reputation scores but also poses significant risks to the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'inal-poke9' originates from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This leads to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry, potentially compromising other packages and users who rely on npm for secure package management.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall inal-poke9If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, avoid using the 'inal-poke9' package and consider using alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. You can also monitor your project for any unauthorized changes to package.json.
Conclusion
The 'inal-poke9' package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior of modifying package files and republishing variants. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, regularly update their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for inal-poke9 →
FAQ
The 'inal-poke9' package is a malicious npm package that is part of a campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation of derivative packages.
This vulnerability can compromise the integrity of your project by introducing malicious code and potentially allowing unauthorized access or modifications to your application.
You should immediately uninstall the 'inal-poke9' package using 'npm uninstall inal-poke9' and review your project for any other compromised packages.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. You can check your application using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Yes, consider using well-established packages that provide similar functionality but do not have a history of malicious behavior. Always verify the package's reputation before installation.
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