Malicious Code Injection in rival-poke24: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-165005: Malicious code in rival-poke24 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
rival-poke24 is an npm package that has been implicated in a malicious campaign targeting the npm registry. It is part of a broader initiative that aims to exploit the npm ecosystem by flooding it with derivative packages. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores through automated publishing scripts, which can lead to significant pollution of the registry and compromise the integrity of the ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded within the rival-poke24 package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture. The malicious payload continuously republishes these variants, thereby polluting the npm registry and potentially affecting other packages and developers relying on the integrity of the npm ecosystem. The ramifications include compromised package integrity, increased risk of dependency confusion, and potential exploitation of affected applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall rival-poke24If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, avoid using the rival-poke24 package and monitor your dependencies for any signs of malicious activity. You can also use tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities. To check if your application is affected, you can use the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The rival-poke24 package poses a significant risk to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code designed to manipulate package metadata and republish variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package from their projects and utilize monitoring tools like Vulert to stay informed about vulnerabilities in their dependencies.
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FAQ
rival-poke24 is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to exploit the npm ecosystem.
The malicious code can modify your package.json file, remove private flags, and republish variants, potentially compromising your application's integrity.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall rival-poke24' and check your package-lock.json for any lingering references.
You can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application.
Currently, there is no patch available for rival-poke24. The best course of action is to uninstall the package.
