Malicious Code Injection in muda-poke19: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-160752: Malicious code in muda-poke19 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
muda-poke19 is an npm package that appears to be part of a larger campaign aimed at exploiting the npm ecosystem. It is designed to facilitate token reward schemes by generating and publishing numerous derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior not only inflates developer reputation scores but also poses significant risks to the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in muda-poke19 stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This results in the continuous republishing of variants, which pollutes the npm registry and can lead to unintended consequences for developers relying on legitimate packages. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been identified as a source of numerous malicious packages flooding the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall muda-poke19If 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 remove the muda-poke19 package from your project by executing the command: npm uninstall muda-poke19. This will prevent any malicious code from executing while you assess your project's dependencies.
Conclusion
The muda-poke19 package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry with derivative packages. It is essential for developers to remain vigilant, regularly update their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in their applications.
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FAQ
The main issue is that it contains malicious code that modifies package.json files and republishes variants to pollute the npm registry.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Check your application against the vulnerability using the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner.
Using this package can lead to the corruption of your project's dependencies, unintended behavior in your application, and potential security risks due to the pollution of the npm registry.
Regularly updating your dependencies, using tools like Vulert to monitor vulnerabilities, and auditing your package-lock.json file can help prevent such issues.
You should uninstall the package immediately and check your project for any changes made to package.json. Then, update your dependencies to ensure you are using secure versions.
