Malicious Code Injection in neutral_mandrill_dumbs: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-106282: Malicious code in neutral_mandrill_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'neutral_mandrill_dumbs' is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. The vulnerability stems from its design, which allows for the manipulation of package metadata, making it susceptible to exploitation.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'neutral_mandrill_dumbs' originates from its association with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It contains scripts that automatically modify the package.json file, removing private flags and changing version numbers. This malicious behavior leads to the generation of random package names and continuous republishing, which pollutes the npm registry. The ramifications include potential security risks for developers who unknowingly use these packages, as well as damage to the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall neutral_mandrill_dumbsIf 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 'neutral_mandrill_dumbs' and any packages that depend on it. Additionally, regularly audit your npm packages using npm audit to identify and address vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The 'neutral_mandrill_dumbs' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and repopulates the npm registry with harmful variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the security of their applications.
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FAQ
'neutral_mandrill_dumbs' is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability can lead to the injection of malicious code into your project, compromising its security and integrity.
You should uninstall 'neutral_mandrill_dumbs' immediately and check for any other affected packages in your project.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without any signup.
