Malicious Code Injection in rival-poke71: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-165057: Malicious code in rival-poke71 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'rival-poke71' is part of a series of malicious npm packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by creating and publishing numerous derivative packages with altered metadata. The primary function of these packages is to inflate developer reputation scores in exchange for token rewards, posing a significant risk to the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'rival-poke71' stems from its inclusion in a malicious campaign that employs scripts to automatically generate and publish derivative packages. These scripts modify the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. This behavior leads to the pollution of the npm registry, making it difficult for developers to trust the authenticity of packages and potentially exposing them to further malicious activities.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall rival-poke71If 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 the 'rival-poke71' package and any other packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. Regularly audit your package dependencies using tools like npm audit to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The 'rival-poke71' package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior of modifying package metadata and flooding the registry with harmful derivatives. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, regularly audit their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities.
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FAQ
The main risk is that it modifies package metadata and floods the npm registry with malicious packages, which can lead to compromised applications and loss of trust in the npm ecosystem.
You can use the Vulert platform to monitor your application for vulnerabilities. By analyzing your package-lock.json file, Vulert provides real-time alerts for any open-source vulnerabilities.
Yes, regularly auditing your dependencies, using trusted packages, and keeping your software up to date can help prevent similar vulnerabilities.
If you have installed rival-poke71, you should uninstall it immediately using 'npm uninstall rival-poke71' and review your other dependencies for potential risks.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by vulnerabilities without requiring any signup.
