Malicious Code Injection in kentung-44: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-157526: Malicious code in kentung-44 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The kentung-44 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 that aims to exploit the npm registry by flooding it with derivative packages. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores through automated publishing scripts, which can lead to significant security risks for developers and users alike.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in kentung-44 originates from its association with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. The package contains malicious scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a risk of unintentional dependency on compromised packages, potentially leading to further exploitation and security breaches.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall kentung-44If 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-44 package by using the following command: npm uninstall kentung-44. Additionally, consider using npm audit to identify and address vulnerabilities in your project.
Conclusion
The kentung-44 package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code designed to exploit the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity and security of their applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for kentung-44 →
FAQ
Kentung-44 is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to exploit the npm registry.
The vulnerability can lead to the installation of compromised packages, which may introduce security risks and affect the integrity of your project.
You should uninstall the kentung-44 package immediately and monitor your project for any other vulnerabilities.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
