Malicious Code Injection in pitra-40 Package: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-164311: Malicious code in pitra-40 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Habilume
Habit tracker with a companion that grows with you
Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
Background
The pitra-40 package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for managing JavaScript packages. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. The primary functionality of pitra-40 is to serve as a tool for developers, but its malicious nature compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem by introducing harmful scripts.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the pitra-40 package originates from its design to include malicious code that modifies the package.json file. This code removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, which leads to the automatic publication of derivative packages. The ramifications of this vulnerability include the pollution of the npm registry, potential security risks for developers using these packages, and the inflation of developer reputation scores through deceptive practices.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall pitra-40If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can prevent the installation of pitra-40 by using the npm shrinkwrap feature or by locking your dependencies in package-lock.json. This will help avoid the introduction of this malicious package into your project until a fix is applied.
Conclusion
The pitra-40 package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and publishes harmful derivatives. It is essential for developers to be vigilant and take immediate action to remove this package from their projects. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring and identifying such vulnerabilities effectively.
See every vulnerability recorded for pitra-40 →
FAQ
The pitra-40 package is an npm package that has been identified as malicious, designed to manipulate package metadata and publish harmful derivatives.
The malicious code can compromise your project's integrity by altering package.json, leading to potential security vulnerabilities and unwanted package publications.
If you have installed pitra-40, you should immediately uninstall it using 'npm uninstall pitra-40' and check your project for any unauthorized changes.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by the pitra-40 vulnerability without any signup.
Habilume
Habit tracker with a companion that grows with you
Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
