Malicious Code Injection in pgaool-devapptea: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-107063: Malicious code in pgaool-devapptea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package pgaool-devapptea is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been associated with a surge of malicious packages on npm. This package is designed to facilitate token rewards through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. Its functionality is compromised by malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata and inflate developer reputation scores.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in pgaool-devapptea arises from the presence of malicious code that modifies the package.json file. This code removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of these variants. The origin of this issue is linked to a broader campaign aimed at polluting the npm registry, which can result in significant security risks for developers relying on these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall pgaool-devappteaIf 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 this package and look for alternative solutions that do not pose security risks. Additionally, ensure that your package-lock.json is monitored for any changes using tools like Vulert.
Conclusion
The pgaool-devapptea package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and inflates developer reputation scores. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of your project.
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FAQ
pgaool-devapptea is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been linked to malicious activities.
The malicious code can alter your package metadata, leading to potential security vulnerabilities and pollution of the npm registry.
You should uninstall the package immediately and monitor your project for any unusual behavior.
Yes, tools like Vulert can help monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without signing up.
