Malicious Code Injection in pitra-49: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-164320: Malicious code in pitra-49 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
pitra-49 is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign targeting the npm registry. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward initiative, which aims to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. The malicious nature of pitra-49 lies in its ability to manipulate package metadata and continuously republish variants, thereby polluting the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in pitra-49 stems from its malicious payload that modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. This behavior is designed to create numerous derivative packages that can mislead developers and compromise the integrity of the npm registry. The origin of this issue is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which employs autopublish scripts to automate the malicious activities.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall pitra-49If 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 prevent the installation of pitra-49 by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor your dependencies. If you are using Vulert, you can check your application for vulnerabilities without any installation by visiting the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner.
Conclusion
The pitra-49 npm package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry with derivative packages. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of their projects.
See every vulnerability recorded for pitra-49 →
FAQ
pitra-49 is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation of derivative packages.
The pitra-49 package can modify your package.json file, remove private flags, and generate numerous derivative packages, potentially compromising your project's integrity.
You should uninstall pitra-49 immediately using 'npm uninstall pitra-49' and check for any dependencies that may rely on it.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring installation. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application.
Currently, there is no patch available for pitra-49. The best course of action is to remove the package from your project.
