Malicious Code Injection in iqbal-poke30: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-156836: Malicious code in iqbal-poke30 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
iqbal-poke30 is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign targeting the npm registry. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward initiative, which aims to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. The malicious nature of this package compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem by introducing harmful scripts and altering package metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in iqbal-poke30 stems from its design to include malicious code that modifies the package.json file. This code removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of these variants. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to a broader campaign that exploits npm's publishing mechanisms, potentially leading to reputation damage for developers and pollution of the npm registry with harmful packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall iqbal-poke30If 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 iqbal-poke30 package by using npm's package-lock.json file to lock your dependencies. This will help avoid accidental installations of malicious packages. You can also monitor your project for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert, which analyzes your package-lock.json for potential threats.
Conclusion
The iqbal-poke30 package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code designed to manipulate package metadata. It is essential for developers to be vigilant, regularly update their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities. By taking proactive measures, developers can safeguard their projects from such threats.
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FAQ
iqbal-poke30 is an npm package identified as part of a malicious campaign that alters package metadata and publishes harmful variants.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of your project's dependencies with malicious packages, potentially compromising security and functionality.
You should immediately uninstall the package using npm uninstall iqbal-poke30 and review your project's dependencies for any other vulnerabilities.
Yes, regularly monitor your dependencies using tools like Vulert, which can alert you to vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check your application for vulnerabilities without needing to sign up.
