Malicious Code Injection in rina-empal55-miaww: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-90146: Malicious code in rina-empal55-miaww (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package rina-empal55-miaww is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. These packages are designed to manipulate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in rina-empal55-miaww stems from its inclusion in a campaign that deploys malicious code. The malicious payload modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of these variants. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, potentially leading to security breaches in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall rina-empal55-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 rina-empal55-miaww package until a secure version is released. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json file for any vulnerabilities. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The rina-empal55-miaww package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code designed to manipulate npm registry behaviors. It is crucial for developers to stay informed about such vulnerabilities and take proactive measures to secure their applications. Regular updates and monitoring tools like Vulert can help mitigate these risks.
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FAQ
The rina-empal55-miaww package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been linked to malicious activities in the npm registry.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially leading to security vulnerabilities and the pollution of the npm registry with unwanted packages.
If you have installed the rina-empal55-miaww package, it is advisable to remove it and update your dependencies to ensure your application remains secure.
Yes, you can prevent similar vulnerabilities by regularly monitoring your dependencies, using tools like Vulert, and keeping your packages updated.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which allows you to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just your package-lock.json file.
