Malicious Code Injection in muklis-17: Exploiting npm for Token Rewards
Summary
MAL-2025-160800: Malicious code in muklis-17 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
muklis-17 is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign associated with the tea.xyz token reward system. This package is designed to manipulate the npm registry by creating and publishing numerous derivative packages with randomized names, aiming to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. The malicious nature of this package poses significant risks to developers and the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in muklis-17 originates from its design to execute autopublish scripts that modify the package.json file. This modification removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants. The ramifications include pollution of the npm registry, potential reputation damage for developers, and the risk of introducing further malicious packages into projects that depend on muklis-17.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall muklis-17If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can temporarily avoid using muklis-17 by replacing it with a trusted alternative package that provides similar functionality. Additionally, you can monitor your npm packages for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert, which analyzes your package-lock.json file for real-time alerts on open-source vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The muklis-17 package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior aimed at manipulating developer reputation scores. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities to maintain security and integrity.
See every vulnerability recorded for muklis-17 →
FAQ
muklis-17 is an npm package involved in a malicious campaign that aims to inflate developer reputation scores through the creation of numerous derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may introduce further malicious packages into your project, compromising its security.
You should uninstall muklis-17 immediately using the command npm uninstall muklis-17 and check your package-lock.json for any remaining references.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities without requiring access to your code or installation.
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