Malicious Code Injection in misleading_donkey-appteadev Package
Summary
MAL-2025-105884: Malicious code in misleading_donkey-appteadev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The misleading_donkey-appteadev package is part of the npm ecosystem, primarily used for JavaScript development. It has been identified as part of a larger campaign that aims to exploit npm's package management system. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages with randomized names. The malicious nature of this package poses significant risks to developers and users alike.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package being part of a token reward campaign that floods npm with malicious packages. It contains scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, change version numbers, and generate random package names. This leads to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry, potentially compromising the integrity of the ecosystem and affecting developers who rely on these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall misleading_donkey-appteadevIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
Currently, the best workaround is to avoid using the misleading_donkey-appteadev package altogether. If it is already in use, remove it from your project as mentioned above. Regularly monitor your dependencies for any malicious packages.
Conclusion
The misleading_donkey-appteadev package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code designed to exploit the npm ecosystem. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, remove this package, and monitor their dependencies for any vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in maintaining the security of your projects.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially compromising the integrity of your project's dependencies and affecting the overall security of your application.
You should uninstall the misleading_donkey-appteadev package immediately using 'npm uninstall misleading_donkey-appteadev' and check your project for any other malicious packages.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json file. You can check your application for vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground without any signup.
As of now, there are no safe updates for the misleading_donkey-appteadev package. It is recommended to remove it from your project.
