Malicious Code Injection in nokire-akaza20: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-162232: Malicious code in nokire-akaza20 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'nokire-akaza20' is part of the npm ecosystem and appears to be associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to manipulate the npm registry by creating and publishing numerous derivative packages with randomized names. Its primary function is to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, which poses a significant risk to the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'nokire-akaza20' originates from its malicious design, which includes scripts that automatically generate and publish derivative packages. These scripts modify the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and creating random package names. The continuous republishing of these variants leads to pollution of the npm registry, potentially affecting other developers and users relying on legitimate packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall nokire-akaza20If 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 restrict the use of this package by implementing strict version control in your package.json file, ensuring that no untrusted packages are included in your project. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The 'nokire-akaza20' package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code designed to manipulate the npm registry. Immediate action is required to remove this package and monitor for similar vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert.
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FAQ
The primary risk is that it can pollute the npm registry with numerous malicious packages, potentially affecting other developers and users.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
You should uninstall the package immediately using the command: npm uninstall nokire-akaza20.
Yes, tools like Vulert can monitor your package-lock.json file to alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities.
Currently, there is no patched version available. The best course of action is to uninstall the package.
