Malicious Code Injection in jacobs-tea-archive: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-104493: Malicious code in jacobs-tea-archive (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
jacobs-tea-archive is an npm package that appears to be part of a broader campaign related to the tea.xyz token reward system. This package is designed to facilitate the distribution of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores. The package's functionality is compromised due to the presence of malicious scripts that alter its metadata and behavior, posing a significant risk to users and the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in jacobs-tea-archive stems from its association with a malicious campaign that utilizes scripts to modify the package.json file. These scripts remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry. This behavior can result in developers inadvertently using compromised packages, which may lead to security breaches or data loss.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall jacobs-tea-archiveIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, users can remove the jacobs-tea-archive package from their project until a secure version is released. This can be done using the command: 'npm uninstall jacobs-tea-archive'. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The jacobs-tea-archive package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and behavior. Users are advised to uninstall the package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in maintaining the security of your applications.
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FAQ
jacobs-tea-archive is an npm package involved in a token reward campaign that has been identified as malicious.
The vulnerability can lead to the introduction of compromised packages into your project, potentially resulting in security breaches.
You should uninstall the package immediately and monitor your project for any unusual behavior.
You can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without signing up.
