Malicious Code Injection in rinto-poke53: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-164827: Malicious code in rinto-poke53 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
rinto-poke53 is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate various functionalities within the npm ecosystem. However, it has been identified as being compromised, containing malicious scripts that can manipulate its own metadata and publish harmful variants, thereby affecting the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in rinto-poke53 originates from its association with a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. These packages include scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior not only inflates developer reputation scores for token rewards but also pollutes the npm registry with potentially harmful packages, posing a risk to users who may unknowingly install these variants.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall rinto-poke53If 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 rinto-poke53 package until a secure version is released. Additionally, consider using alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The rinto-poke53 package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses a significant risk to npm users. It is crucial to stay informed about such vulnerabilities and take proactive measures to secure your applications. Regular updates and monitoring can help mitigate these risks effectively.
See every vulnerability recorded for rinto-poke53 →
FAQ
The vulnerability involves malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry with harmful variants.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. Visit the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check your application without needing to sign up.
If you have installed rinto-poke53, it is recommended to update the package immediately or remove it until a secure version is available.
Yes, the impacts include the potential for malicious packages to be installed unknowingly, which can compromise application security and integrity.
Regularly update your packages, monitor for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert, and avoid using unverified packages from the npm registry.
