Malicious Code Injection in nlelci-devapptea: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-106353: Malicious code in nlelci-devapptea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
nlelci-devapptea is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate token rewards through various automated scripts. However, this package has been identified as malicious, containing scripts that manipulate package metadata and flood the npm registry with derivative packages, thereby compromising the integrity of the ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in nlelci-devapptea stems from its inclusion in a campaign that deploys malicious scripts (auto.js, autopublish.js, etc.) to alter package.json files. These scripts remove private flags, change version numbers, and generate random package names, leading to the pollution of the npm registry. This not only affects the reputation of legitimate developers but also poses a risk of dependency confusion and potential exploitation of applications relying on these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall nlelci-devappteaIf 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 nlelci-devapptea package and monitor your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes. Regularly audit your dependencies using npm audit to identify and address vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The nlelci-devapptea package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is essential to remove this package and monitor your dependencies to maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
nlelci-devapptea is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been identified as containing malicious code.
The malicious code modifies package metadata, potentially leading to dependency confusion and the introduction of insecure packages into your application.
You should uninstall the package immediately using the command 'npm uninstall nlelci-devapptea' and audit your project for any other vulnerabilities.
You can use tools like npm audit to check for vulnerabilities in your dependencies. Additionally, Vulert can help monitor your package-lock.json for real-time alerts on open-source vulnerabilities.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
