Malicious Code Injection in rino-poke38: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-164683: Malicious code in rino-poke38 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
rino-poke38 is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been associated with malicious activities. This package is designed to facilitate token rewards but has been compromised to include harmful scripts that manipulate package metadata and publish unauthorized variants. The vulnerability stems from its involvement in a larger scheme to inflate developer reputation scores through deceptive practices.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in rino-poke38 originates from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file by removing private flags and altering version numbers. It generates random package names, often themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to the npm registry. This not only pollutes the registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, leading to potential security breaches in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall rino-poke38If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can monitor your project's dependencies using tools like Vulert. Vulert allows you to check for vulnerabilities in your package-lock.json file without requiring access to your code or installation. You can use the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner to see if your application is affected by this vulnerability.
Conclusion
The rino-poke38 package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and publishes unauthorized variants. It is essential to remove this package from your projects and utilize monitoring tools like Vulert to safeguard against similar vulnerabilities in the future.
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FAQ
rino-poke38 is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been compromised to include malicious code.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications in your package.json file and may expose your application to further security risks through polluted npm registry entries.
You should uninstall the rino-poke38 package immediately using the command npm uninstall rino-poke38.
Yes, regularly monitor your dependencies using tools like Vulert and keep your packages updated to minimize the risk of vulnerabilities.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without needing to sign up.
