Malicious Code Vulnerability in internal_panda-apptea Package
Summary
MAL-2025-104356: Malicious code in internal_panda-apptea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The internal_panda-apptea package is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm ecosystem with malicious packages. This package is designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. Its functionality is compromised by the presence of malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's malicious scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of these variants, which pollutes the npm registry and can potentially harm developers by inflating reputation scores fraudulently. The malicious payload is particularly concerning as it undermines the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall internal_panda-appteaIf 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 prevent the installation of the internal_panda-apptea package by adding it to your project's .npmrc file with the following line: 'package-lock=false'. This will stop npm from installing this package until it is removed or updated.
Conclusion
The internal_panda-apptea package contains a significant vulnerability due to its malicious scripts that alter package metadata and pollute the npm registry. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your project for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of your software.
See every vulnerability recorded for internal_panda-apptea →
FAQ
It is a package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign that automates the generation of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may compromise the integrity of your project's dependencies.
You should remove the internal_panda-apptea package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without needing to sign up.
