Malicious Code Injection in middle_starfish-notthedev Package
Summary
MAL-2025-105827: Malicious code in middle_starfish-notthedev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The middle_starfish-notthedev package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate various functionalities within the npm registry but has been compromised to include malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata. The vulnerability stems from its involvement in a scheme that generates and publishes derivative packages to inflate developer reputation scores.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the middle_starfish-notthedev package originates from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file by removing private flags and altering version numbers. It generates random package names, often themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This not only affects the integrity of the npm ecosystem but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, leading to potential security breaches and loss of trust in the npm registry.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall middle_starfish-notthedevIf 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 remove the middle_starfish-notthedev package from your project by executing the following command: npm uninstall middle_starfish-notthedev. Additionally, monitor your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes.
Conclusion
The middle_starfish-notthedev package has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem. It is crucial for developers to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to safeguard their projects from potential vulnerabilities.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to facilitate various functionalities but has been compromised.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially leading to security vulnerabilities and the pollution of the npm registry.
You should uninstall the package immediately and monitor your project for any unauthorized changes.
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 without any signup.
Using compromised packages can lead to security breaches, loss of data integrity, and a decline in trust within the developer community.
