Malicious Code Injection in monthly_owl_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-105962: Malicious code in monthly_owl_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The monthly_owl_0xrequest package is part of the npm ecosystem, often utilized for various JavaScript applications. However, it has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to exploit npm's package management system. The package is designed to manipulate its own metadata and publish numerous derivative packages, which can lead to reputation inflation for malicious actors.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the monthly_owl_0xrequest package stems from its involvement in a token reward campaign that floods the npm registry with malicious packages. These packages contain scripts that automatically modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly install these malicious variants, potentially compromising their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall monthly_owl_0xrequestIf 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 monthly_owl_0xrequest package altogether. If it is already part of your project, consider removing it from your package.json and running npm install to clean your dependencies.
Conclusion
The monthly_owl_0xrequest package poses a significant risk due to its malicious behavior of modifying package metadata and flooding the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of their applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for monthly_owl_0xrequest →
FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign aimed at manipulating the npm registry.
If your application uses the monthly_owl_0xrequest package, it may be at risk of installing malicious variants that can compromise your code and reputation.
You should remove the package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches that may address the vulnerability.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without signing up.
