Malicious Code Injection in nokire-kore38: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-162726: Malicious code in nokire-kore38 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'nokire-kore38' 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 malicious nature of this package compromises the integrity of the npm registry and poses risks to developers who may unknowingly use it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'nokire-kore38' originates from its association with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It contains scripts designed to automatically 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, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising other packages that depend on it. The ramifications include loss of trust in the npm ecosystem and potential security risks for applications relying on affected packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall nokire-kore38If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, avoid using the 'nokire-kore38' package and monitor your dependencies for any malicious activity. You can also use tools like Vulert to check for vulnerabilities in your package-lock.json file. To use Vulert, visit https://vulert.com/scanner and input your package-lock.json to see if your application is affected.
Conclusion
The 'nokire-kore38' package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior aimed at inflating developer reputation scores. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in identifying and mitigating such risks effectively.
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FAQ
'nokire-kore38' 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 pollution of the npm registry and may compromise the integrity of other packages that depend on it.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall nokire-kore38' and monitor your dependencies for any malicious activity.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
You can check your application by using the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner, where you can input your package-lock.json.
