Malicious Code Injection in kentung-23: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-157503: Malicious code in kentung-23 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The kentung-23 package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package, like many others, is intended to facilitate the development and sharing of code. However, it has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that exploits npm's publishing capabilities to inflate developer reputation scores through the creation of derivative packages with randomized names.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in kentung-23 originates from its association with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package contains malicious scripts that modify the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. The scripts continuously republish these variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry and potential security risks for developers who inadvertently use these packages. The ramifications include compromised package integrity and the potential for malicious code execution in dependent applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall kentung-23If 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 kentung-23 package by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor dependencies. Ensure that your package-lock.json does not include kentung-23. You can also use the following command to audit your dependencies: npm audit.
Conclusion
The kentung-23 package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code designed to manipulate npm's publishing system. It is crucial for developers to be aware of this vulnerability, take immediate action to remove the affected package, and utilize tools like Vulert for ongoing monitoring of their dependencies.
See every vulnerability recorded for kentung-23 →
FAQ
Kentung-23 is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the creation of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the introduction of malicious code into your project, compromising its integrity and potentially exposing it to security risks.
You should remove the kentung-23 package from your project immediately and update to a secure version if available.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring access to your code.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
