Malicious Code Injection in patria-kue24-ruro: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-106964: Malicious code in patria-kue24-ruro (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'patria-kue24-ruro' is part of a series of npm packages that have been associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards associated with the tea protocol, posing a significant risk to the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'patria-kue24-ruro' originates from malicious code embedded within the package. This code modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names, which leads to the continuous republishing of variants. This not only pollutes the npm registry but also undermines the trustworthiness of the ecosystem, potentially allowing for further exploitation by malicious actors.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall patria-kue24-ruroIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can avoid using the 'patria-kue24-ruro' package until a secure version is released. Additionally, consider using the following command to uninstall the package: 'npm uninstall patria-kue24-ruro'.
Conclusion
The 'patria-kue24-ruro' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that manipulates the npm registry. It is essential to take immediate action by updating or uninstalling the package and utilizing tools like Vulert for ongoing vulnerability monitoring.
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FAQ
The main issue is that it contains malicious code that modifies package.json and floods the npm registry with derivative packages.
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Using compromised packages can lead to data breaches, unauthorized access, and overall instability in your application due to malicious modifications.
Regularly audit your dependencies, use tools like Vulert for real-time monitoring, and stay updated with security advisories related to your packages.
Immediately uninstall the package and monitor your application for any unusual behavior. Consider updating to a secure version if available.
