Malicious Code Injection in rival-poke61: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-165046: Malicious code in rival-poke61 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
rival-poke61 is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign targeting the npm registry. This package is designed to manipulate the npm ecosystem by generating and publishing derivative packages with altered metadata. Its primary function is to inflate developer reputation scores through deceptive practices, which can lead to widespread pollution of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in rival-poke61 stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior is part of a broader scheme to automate the creation and publication of numerous derivative packages, thereby compromising the integrity of the npm registry. The origin of this issue is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which incentivizes developers to inflate their reputation through such malicious practices. The ramifications include potential security risks for users who unknowingly install these compromised packages, leading to further exploitation.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall rival-poke61If 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 rival-poke61 and any packages that may have been published as derivatives of it. You can also use tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities. To check if your application is affected by this vulnerability, you can visit the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without needing to sign up.
Conclusion
The rival-poke61 package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code designed to manipulate package metadata and inflate developer reputation scores. Users are advised to uninstall this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert to ensure ongoing security.
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FAQ
rival-poke61 is an npm package identified as part of a malicious campaign that manipulates the npm registry.
The vulnerability can lead to the installation of compromised packages, which may introduce security risks and affect the integrity of your project.
You should uninstall the package immediately using the command 'npm uninstall rival-poke61' and check your project for any other affected packages.
You can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities in real-time. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application.
No patches are available for rival-poke61 as it is a malicious package. The best course of action is to remove it from your project.
