Malicious Code Injection in kentung-48 Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-157530: Malicious code in kentung-48 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The kentung-48 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 generating and publishing numerous derivative packages with altered metadata. The primary function of such packages is to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, specifically for the tea.xyz protocol.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the kentung-48 package originates from its malicious intent to manipulate the npm registry. It includes scripts that automatically modify the package.json file to remove private flags, change version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior leads to the pollution of the npm registry with numerous variants of the package, potentially compromising the integrity of the ecosystem and affecting developers who rely on legitimate packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall kentung-48If 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 avoid using the kentung-48 package and any other packages that may be part of the malicious campaign. Regularly audit your dependencies using tools like npm audit to identify and address vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The kentung-48 package poses a significant risk due to its malicious behavior aimed at manipulating the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to be aware of this vulnerability, take immediate action to remove the affected package, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor their dependencies for potential threats.
See every vulnerability recorded for kentung-48 →
FAQ
The kentung-48 package is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to manipulate the npm registry.
This vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially compromising the integrity of your application and introducing security risks.
You should uninstall the kentung-48 package immediately and check your project for any other affected packages.
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.
