Malicious Code Injection in parwo-poke18: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-163987: Malicious code in parwo-poke18 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
parwo-poke18 is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign targeting developers within the npm ecosystem. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward initiative, which incentivizes the creation of numerous derivative packages to inflate developer reputation scores. The malicious nature of this package lies in its ability to manipulate package metadata and proliferate harmful variants across the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in parwo-poke18 originates from its design to include autopublish scripts that automatically generate and publish derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior is intended to inflate reputation scores for the tea protocol token rewards. The malicious payload modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and continuously republishing variants. This not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a significant risk to developers who may unknowingly install these compromised packages, leading to potential security breaches in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall parwo-poke18If 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 parwo-poke18 package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, regularly audit your npm packages using tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The parwo-poke18 package poses a significant threat to npm users due to its malicious code designed to manipulate package metadata and proliferate harmful variants. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
parwo-poke18 is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through the creation of numerous derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the installation of malicious packages that modify your project's metadata and potentially introduce security risks, compromising your application's integrity.
You should uninstall the parwo-poke18 package immediately using the command npm uninstall parwo-poke18 and check for any other affected packages.
You can use tools like Vulert, which allows you to monitor and alert in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software by analyzing your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
