Malicious Code Injection in rival-poke28: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-165009: Malicious code in rival-poke28 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'rival-poke28' is part of a series of malicious npm packages linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with altered names and metadata. This behavior not only compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem but also poses risks to developers who may unknowingly use these tainted packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'rival-poke28' stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This allows the package to continuously republish itself and its variants, effectively polluting the npm registry. The origin of this vulnerability is traced back to a campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores for token rewards, which can lead to significant security risks, including the potential for code injection and dependency confusion.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall rival-poke28If 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 'rival-poke28' package and any other packages that may be associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. Regularly audit your npm packages for any malicious code or vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert, which can monitor your package-lock.json for real-time alerts on open-source vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The 'rival-poke28' package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code designed to manipulate package metadata and republish itself. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, remove any affected packages, and utilize tools like Vulert to safeguard their projects from such vulnerabilities.
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FAQ
'rival-poke28' is an npm package identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to manipulate the npm registry and inflate developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability can lead to the introduction of malicious code into your project, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should uninstall 'rival-poke28' immediately and check your project for any other affected packages. Use 'npm uninstall rival-poke28' to remove it.
Regularly audit your dependencies, keep them updated, and use tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Vulert is a monitoring tool that uses your package-lock.json to alert you in real-time about open-source vulnerabilities in your software. You can check your application for vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground without any signup.
