Malicious Code Injection in kentung-39 Package: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-157520: Malicious code in kentung-39 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The kentung-39 package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package has been identified as part of a malicious campaign associated with the tea.xyz token reward initiative. It is designed to manipulate the npm registry by creating and publishing numerous derivative packages that can inflate developer reputation scores. The malicious nature of this package poses significant risks to developers and users relying on npm for their projects.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the kentung-39 package originates from its involvement in a campaign that floods the npm registry with malicious packages. It contains scripts that automatically modify the package.json file, removing private flags and altering version numbers. Additionally, it generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also compromises the integrity of the packages within it, potentially leading to security risks for users who unknowingly install these malicious derivatives.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall kentung-39If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can prevent the installation of the kentung-39 package by using the following command to uninstall it: npm uninstall kentung-39. Additionally, regularly audit your npm packages using npm audit to identify and address vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The kentung-39 package poses a significant threat to npm users due to its malicious behavior of modifying package metadata and flooding the npm registry with harmful derivatives. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your projects for vulnerabilities to maintain security.
See every vulnerability recorded for kentung-39 →
FAQ
The kentung-39 package is an npm package identified as part of a malicious campaign that manipulates the npm registry by publishing numerous derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the installation of malicious packages that compromise the integrity of your project and may expose it to security risks.
You should uninstall the kentung-39 package immediately and monitor your project for any other potentially malicious packages.
You can use tools like npm audit or Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
