Malicious Code Injection in lookingan-namalaka44: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-158856: Malicious code in lookingan-namalaka44 (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 package 'lookingan-namalaka44' is part of a series of malicious packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by creating and publishing numerous derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards associated with the tea protocol, posing a significant risk to the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'lookingan-namalaka44' originates from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file by removing private flags and altering version numbers. It generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This not only compromises the security of the affected packages but also affects the overall trustworthiness of the npm ecosystem, leading to potential exploitation by malicious actors.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall lookingan-namalaka44If 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 avoid using the 'lookingan-namalaka44' package and any other packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. Monitor your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes and consider using tools like Vulert to track vulnerabilities in your dependencies.
Conclusion
The 'lookingan-namalaka44' package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior of modifying package files and republishing variants. It is essential for developers to be vigilant, remove any affected packages, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for lookingan-namalaka44 →
FAQ
'lookingan-namalaka44' is a malicious npm package that is part of a campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the creation of numerous derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications in your package.json file, potentially compromising the security and integrity of your project.
You should uninstall 'lookingan-namalaka44' immediately and check your project for any other malicious packages that may have been installed.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
