Malicious Code Injection in mild_sloth_0xrequest: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-105839: Malicious code in mild_sloth_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'mild_sloth_0xrequest' is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been linked to a series of malicious activities aimed at inflating developer reputation scores. The package's functionality is compromised by the presence of malicious scripts that manipulate its metadata and behavior.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'mild_sloth_0xrequest' originates from its association with a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. The malicious code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants. This not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, potentially leading to security breaches in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall mild_sloth_0xrequestIf 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 'mild_sloth_0xrequest' package from your project by executing: 'npm uninstall mild_sloth_0xrequest'. This will prevent any malicious code from executing until a safe version is available.
Conclusion
The 'mild_sloth_0xrequest' package is compromised by malicious code that alters its behavior and metadata, posing significant risks to developers. It is crucial to update or remove the package to safeguard your applications. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor and alert for such vulnerabilities in real-time.
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FAQ
The malicious code is designed to modify the package's metadata and continuously publish variants to the npm registry, which can lead to security risks for developers.
You can use Vulert, which monitors open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file. Visit Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without any signup.
If immediate updates are not possible, consider uninstalling the package as a temporary measure to mitigate risks until a safe version is available.
While specific exploits have not been detailed, the nature of the vulnerability allows for potential misuse, including unauthorized access to developer environments.
Regularly audit your dependencies, use tools like Vulert for real-time monitoring, and stay updated with security advisories from package maintainers.
