Malicious Code Injection in nokire-kore15: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-162701: Malicious code in nokire-kore15 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The package 'nokire-kore15' 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 exploit the npm registry by flooding it with derivative packages. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, making them a significant risk to developers and users relying on npm for secure package management.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'nokire-kore15' originates from its involvement in a token reward campaign that utilizes autopublish scripts. These scripts modify the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, which pollutes the npm registry and can potentially compromise the integrity of applications relying on these packages. The malicious payload can also lead to unauthorized access and manipulation of project dependencies.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall nokire-kore15If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can prevent the installation of malicious packages by using npm's audit feature. Run 'npm audit' to identify vulnerabilities in your dependencies and take necessary actions to mitigate risks. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Conclusion
The 'nokire-kore15' package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior. It is essential for developers to be vigilant, regularly audit their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to ensure the security of their applications. By promptly addressing this vulnerability, developers can protect their projects from potential exploitation.
See every vulnerability recorded for nokire-kore15 →
FAQ
The main risk is that it can modify your project's dependencies and publish malicious variants, compromising the security of your application.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without needing to sign up.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall nokire-kore15' and check your package-lock.json for any references to it.
Yes, tools like Vulert can monitor your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time.
Regularly run 'npm audit', keep your packages updated, and use tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities.
