Malicious Code Injection in muda-poke21: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-160755: Malicious code in muda-poke21 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
muda-poke21 is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate certain functionalities within the npm ecosystem, but it has been compromised. The package is known for generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. This behavior makes it susceptible to exploitation, leading to potential security risks for users and developers relying on it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in muda-poke21 stems from its inclusion in a malicious campaign that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This malicious payload allows the package to continuously republish variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising the integrity of other packages. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has flooded the npm ecosystem with similar malicious packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall muda-poke21If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can remove the muda-poke21 package from your project by running the following command: npm uninstall muda-poke21. This will prevent any malicious activity associated with the package until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The muda-poke21 package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem. It is essential for developers to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to safeguard their applications. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor for such vulnerabilities in real-time.
See every vulnerability recorded for muda-poke21 →
FAQ
The vulnerability involves malicious code that modifies package.json and repackages the software, leading to potential security risks.
You can use Vulert to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without any signup.
If you are using muda-poke21, it is crucial to update the package to a secure version or remove it from your project.
Failing to address this vulnerability can lead to compromised security, data integrity issues, and potential exploitation of your application.
Check the npm registry for any available patches or updates for muda-poke21 to ensure you are using a secure version.
