Malicious Code Injection in keyla-poke3: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-157596: Malicious code in keyla-poke3 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
keyla-poke3 is an npm package that appears to be part of a broader campaign aimed at exploiting the npm registry. It is designed to facilitate token reward schemes, which can lead to the proliferation of malicious packages. This package, like others in the campaign, is characterized by its ability to automatically generate and publish derivative packages, potentially compromising the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in keyla-poke3 stems from its malicious payload that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to clutter the npm registry. This behavior not only inflates developer reputation scores for token rewards but also poses significant risks by polluting the package ecosystem with potentially harmful software.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall keyla-poke3If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, avoid using keyla-poke3 and any other packages that are part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. Regularly audit your dependencies using tools like npm audit to identify and remove any malicious packages.
Conclusion
The keyla-poke3 package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior. It is crucial for developers to remain vigilant, regularly audit their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities. Immediate action should be taken to remove any instances of this package from your projects.
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FAQ
keyla-poke3 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 injection of malicious code into your application, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should immediately uninstall keyla-poke3 using the command npm uninstall keyla-poke3 and audit your project for any other malicious packages.
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 by this vulnerability without any signup.
