Malicious Code Injection in inc_sailfish-smiletea Package
Summary
MAL-2025-104062: Malicious code in inc_sailfish-smiletea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The inc_sailfish-smiletea package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the inc_sailfish-smiletea package originates from its design to include autopublish scripts that modify the package.json file. This malicious payload removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry. The ramifications include potential security risks for developers and users who may unknowingly install these compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall inc_sailfish-smileteaIf 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 inc_sailfish-smiletea package from your project by executing: npm uninstall inc_sailfish-smiletea. This will prevent any malicious code from executing until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The inc_sailfish-smiletea package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses significant risks to developers and users. It is essential to take immediate action by updating or uninstalling the package to protect your projects from potential exploitation.
See every vulnerability recorded for inc_sailfish-smiletea →
FAQ
The inc_sailfish-smiletea package is part of the npm ecosystem and is involved in the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which aims to inflate developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability allows for the modification of package.json files, removal of private flags, and the generation of numerous derivative packages that can pollute the npm registry.
You can use the Vulert platform to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Visit Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without any signup.
If an immediate update is not possible, consider uninstalling the package as a temporary measure to mitigate risks until a secure version is released.
For more information, you can reach out to Amazon Inspector at actran@amazon.com, who discovered this vulnerability.
