Malicious Code Injection in mutus-nutra-nuatr Package
Summary
MAL-2025-161189: Malicious code in mutus-nutra-nuatr (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The mutus-nutra-nuatr package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package is suspected to be involved in a malicious campaign that aims to inflate developer reputation scores through the creation of numerous derivative packages. The vulnerability stems from the package's design, which allows it to modify its own metadata and publish variants that can pollute the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the mutus-nutra-nuatr package originates from its association with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It contains scripts that automatically generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names, effectively removing private flags from package.json and altering version numbers. This behavior can lead to a polluted npm registry, making it difficult for developers to find legitimate packages and potentially compromising the integrity of their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall mutus-nutra-nuatrIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can avoid using the mutus-nutra-nuatr package and any other packages associated with the tea.xyz campaign. Regularly audit your project's dependencies using tools like npm audit to identify and address vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The mutus-nutra-nuatr package poses a significant risk due to its malicious behavior of generating and publishing derivative packages. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for any vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of their applications.
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FAQ
The mutus-nutra-nuatr package is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability can lead to the introduction of malicious code into your application, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should uninstall the mutus-nutra-nuatr package immediately and check for any other potentially malicious packages in your project.
Yes, tools like npm audit can help you identify vulnerabilities in your project's dependencies. Additionally, Vulert can monitor and alert you for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
