Malicious Code Injection in leonard-tea-archive: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-105087: Malicious code in leonard-tea-archive (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'leonard-tea-archive' package is part of a broader campaign associated with the tea.xyz token reward system. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to manipulate the npm registry by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages. Its primary function is to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards, but it also poses significant risks to the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package's malicious code, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, often themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also compromises the security and reliability of packages within the ecosystem, potentially leading to further exploitation.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall leonard-tea-archiveIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can avoid using the 'leonard-tea-archive' package and monitor your project for any dependencies that may inadvertently include it. Regularly audit your package-lock.json file to identify and remove any malicious packages.
Conclusion
The 'leonard-tea-archive' package poses a significant risk to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior. It is essential for developers to be vigilant about the packages they use, regularly audit their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for leonard-tea-archive →
FAQ
It is a package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to manipulate npm registry by publishing derivative packages.
The malicious code can compromise your project's integrity by polluting the npm registry and potentially introducing security risks.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall leonard-tea-archive' and audit your dependencies.
Regularly audit your dependencies, use trusted packages, and keep your software updated to the latest secure versions.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. You can check your application using the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner without any signup.
