Malicious Code Injection in putra-bakwan48-miaww: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-89549: Malicious code in putra-bakwan48-miaww (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'putra-bakwan48-miaww' is part of a series of npm packages that have emerged as part of a token reward campaign associated with the tea.xyz protocol. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing numerous derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior not only clutters the npm registry but also poses significant security risks to developers and their applications.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'putra-bakwan48-miaww' stems from malicious code embedded within the package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, which can lead to the proliferation of untrustworthy packages in the npm registry. The malicious payload is designed to continuously republish variants, thereby polluting the ecosystem and potentially compromising the integrity of applications that depend on these packages. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which exploits the npm ecosystem for malicious purposes.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall putra-bakwan48-miawwIf 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 'putra-bakwan48-miaww' package and replace it with a trusted alternative that provides similar functionality. Ensure to audit your package-lock.json file to identify any indirect dependencies that may also include this malicious package.
Conclusion
The 'putra-bakwan48-miaww' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code designed to manipulate the npm ecosystem. It is crucial for developers to take immediate action by removing the package and monitoring their dependencies for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
The malicious code can lead to the proliferation of untrustworthy packages, compromising the integrity of applications and potentially exposing them to security vulnerabilities.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities in real-time. You can also check your application against the Vulert playground without any signup.
Immediately uninstall the package using 'npm uninstall putra-bakwan48-miaww' and audit your dependencies to ensure no other malicious packages are present.
Yes, consider using well-established packages that provide similar functionality and have a good reputation within the community.
Regularly audit your dependencies, use tools like Vulert for monitoring, and stay informed about the latest security advisories related to the packages you use.
