Malicious Code Vulnerability in iymbfz-devapptea: Exploiting npm for Token Rewards
Summary
MAL-2025-104489: Malicious code in iymbfz-devapptea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
iymbfz-devapptea is an npm package that appears to be part of a token reward campaign associated with tea.xyz. This package is designed to facilitate the generation and publication of derivative packages, which are used to inflate developer reputation scores in exchange for rewards. However, it has been compromised, leading to significant security concerns.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from malicious code embedded within the iymbfz-devapptea package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, which are then continuously republished to pollute the npm registry. The ramifications include potential exposure of sensitive information and the degradation of the npm ecosystem due to the proliferation of malicious packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall iymbfz-devappteaIf 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 avoid using the iymbfz-devapptea package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The iymbfz-devapptea package has been compromised with malicious code that poses significant risks to developers and the npm ecosystem. It is crucial to remove this package from your projects and monitor for any vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert.
See every vulnerability recorded for iymbfz-devapptea →
FAQ
iymbfz-devapptea is an npm package linked to a token reward campaign that generates derivative packages to inflate developer reputation scores.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially exposing sensitive information and contributing to the pollution of the npm registry.
You should uninstall the iymbfz-devapptea package immediately and monitor your project for any unusual behavior.
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 by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
