Malicious Code Injection in rival-poke59: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-165043: Malicious code in rival-poke59 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'rival-poke59' is part of a series of npm packages that have been linked to a token reward campaign by tea.xyz. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by generating and publishing numerous derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards associated with the tea protocol, making it a significant concern for developers relying on npm for package management.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'rival-poke59' stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file. It removes private flags, alters version numbers, and creates random package names, which leads to the continuous republishing of these variants. This not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses risks to developers who may unknowingly integrate these compromised packages into their applications, potentially leading to security breaches and loss of trust in the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall rival-poke59If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can avoid using 'rival-poke59' and any other packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. Regularly audit your package.json and package-lock.json files to identify and remove any suspicious packages.
Conclusion
The 'rival-poke59' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code designed to manipulate the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, regularly audit their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to ensure their projects remain secure from such vulnerabilities.
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FAQ
'rival-poke59' is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the creation of numerous derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the inclusion of malicious code in your project, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should uninstall 'rival-poke59' immediately using the command 'npm uninstall rival-poke59' and audit your project for any other suspicious packages.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. You can check your application against known vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Yes, tools like Vulert can help you monitor and alert you to vulnerabilities in your open-source dependencies without requiring access to your code.
