Malicious Code Injection in kembuteirul Package: npm Vulnerability Overview
Summary
MAL-2025-98002: Malicious code in kembuteirul (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The kembuteirul package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for managing JavaScript packages. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. These packages often contain scripts designed to manipulate package metadata and inflate developer reputation scores, posing significant risks to users and the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The kembuteirul package contains malicious code that modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. This behavior is intended to create numerous derivative packages that pollute the npm registry. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which incentivizes the creation of such malicious packages. The ramifications include compromised developer reputations and potential security risks for applications relying on these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall kembuteirulIf 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 kembuteirul package from your project by executing: npm uninstall kembuteirul. This will prevent any malicious code from executing until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The kembuteirul package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata. It is crucial for developers to be aware of this vulnerability and take immediate action to remove the package and monitor their projects for any potential threats.
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FAQ
The kembuteirul package is an npm package that has been identified as malicious, associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially compromising your project's integrity and security.
You should uninstall the kembuteirul package immediately and monitor for any updates or patches.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file to alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without requiring any signup.
