Malicious Code Injection in quail_amethyst-73: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-98285: Malicious code in quail_amethyst-73 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
quail_amethyst-73 is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. The package's functionality is compromised due to the presence of malicious scripts that manipulate its metadata and behavior.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from a malicious payload embedded within the quail_amethyst-73 package. This payload modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. It continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry, posing a significant risk to developers relying on the integrity of npm packages. The malicious code can lead to unauthorized access, data leakage, and a compromised development environment.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall quail_amethyst-73If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, avoid using the quail_amethyst-73 package and monitor your project for any unauthorized changes. Regularly check your package-lock.json file for any unexpected modifications.
Conclusion
The quail_amethyst-73 package poses a significant risk due to its embedded malicious code that alters package metadata and republish behavior. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your project for any unauthorized changes. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your software.
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FAQ
quail_amethyst-73 is an npm package involved in the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been found to contain malicious code.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, removes private flags, and can lead to the publication of unauthorized packages, compromising your project's integrity.
You should uninstall the package immediately using the command: npm uninstall quail_amethyst-73.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just package-lock.json. You can check your application for vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner.
Regularly update your dependencies, monitor for vulnerabilities, and utilize tools like Vulert to receive real-time alerts.
