Malicious Code Injection in poliaoz-aik-al: npm Package Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-164373: Malicious code in poliaoz-aik-al (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The poliaoz-aik-al package is part of a broader campaign involving the tea.xyz token reward system. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to manipulate the npm registry by generating and publishing numerous derivative packages with randomized names. It aims to inflate developer reputation scores in exchange for token rewards, making it a tool for malicious activity within the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the poliaoz-aik-al package stems from its malicious code, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This behavior not only compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem but also poses risks to developers who may unknowingly use these tainted packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall poliaoz-aik-alIf 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 poliaoz-aik-al package and any other packages that may have been published as part of the tea.xyz campaign. Regularly audit your dependencies using tools like npm audit to identify and mitigate risks from malicious packages.
Conclusion
The poliaoz-aik-al package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code designed to manipulate package publishing. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, regularly audit their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for poliaoz-aik-al →
FAQ
The poliaoz-aik-al package is part of a malicious campaign that aims to inflate developer reputation scores in exchange for token rewards by flooding the npm registry with derivative packages.
The vulnerability can compromise your project's integrity by introducing malicious code that alters your package.json file and pollutes the npm registry with unwanted packages.
If you have installed the poliaoz-aik-al package, you should uninstall it immediately and check your package-lock.json file for any references to it.
You can use tools like npm audit to check for vulnerabilities in your dependencies. Additionally, Vulert can monitor your package-lock.json for real-time alerts on open-source vulnerabilities.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
