Malicious Code Injection in pitra-38 Package: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-164308: Malicious code in pitra-38 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The pitra-38 package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign that has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. These packages are designed to manipulate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with altered metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the pitra-38 package stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file. This code removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, which are often themed around Indonesian culture. The primary risk is that it can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, making it difficult for developers to find legitimate packages and potentially compromising the security of applications that rely on these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall pitra-38If 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 pitra-38 package and instead look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your package dependencies for vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The pitra-38 package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the registry with illegitimate packages. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of their applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for pitra-38 →
FAQ
The pitra-38 package is an npm package that has been identified as malicious, designed to manipulate developer reputation scores through automated publishing of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, making it harder to find legitimate packages and potentially compromising the security of applications that depend on affected packages.
You should uninstall the pitra-38 package immediately using the command 'npm uninstall pitra-38' to mitigate any risks associated with its use.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
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