Malicious Code Injection in inal-poke92: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-156483: Malicious code in inal-poke92 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'inal-poke92' is part of a series of npm 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 is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards associated with the tea protocol. The malicious nature of this package poses a significant risk to developers and the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'inal-poke92' originates from its inclusion in a campaign that floods the npm registry with malicious packages. The package contains scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. This leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising the security of applications that depend on these packages. The ramifications include loss of control over package management, exposure to malicious code, and damage to developer reputation.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall inal-poke92If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can avoid using the 'inal-poke92' package and any other packages associated with the tea.xyz campaign. Regularly audit your package dependencies using tools like npm audit to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The 'inal-poke92' package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code designed to manipulate package management. It is essential for developers to be vigilant, regularly audit their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities. Taking proactive steps to remove affected packages and stay informed can help maintain the integrity of your applications.
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FAQ
The primary risk is the injection of malicious code that can compromise the security of applications relying on this package.
You can use Vulert to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. By checking your package-lock.json file, Vulert can help you identify affected packages.
To prevent similar vulnerabilities, regularly audit your dependencies, use trusted sources for packages, and stay informed about known vulnerabilities in the npm ecosystem.
If you have used 'inal-poke92', it is crucial to uninstall it immediately and review your project's dependencies for any other potentially malicious packages.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by vulnerabilities without requiring a signup.
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