Malicious Code Injection in muda-poke41: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-160777: Malicious code in muda-poke41 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
muda-poke41 is an npm package that appears to be part of a larger campaign aimed at exploiting the npm registry. It is designed to facilitate token rewards for the tea.xyz protocol by generating and publishing numerous derivative packages. This behavior not only inflates developer reputation scores but also poses significant risks to the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in muda-poke41 stems from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, often themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This behavior can lead to a compromised development environment, where developers inadvertently use malicious packages, potentially exposing their applications to further vulnerabilities.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall muda-poke41If 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 muda-poke41 package and any other packages that may have been published as part of the same campaign. Regularly audit your dependencies to ensure no malicious packages are included.
Conclusion
The muda-poke41 package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior of generating and publishing harmful packages. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, regularly audit their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for muda-poke41 →
FAQ
muda-poke41 is an npm package involved in a malicious campaign that generates and publishes numerous derivative packages to exploit the npm registry.
The vulnerability can lead to the inclusion of malicious code in your application, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should uninstall the package immediately using npm uninstall muda-poke41 and audit your project for any other potentially malicious packages.
Yes, tools like Vulert can monitor your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
