Malicious Code Injection in ronaldowati-cir20: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-165225: Malicious code in ronaldowati-cir20 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
ronaldowati-cir20 is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in ronaldowati-cir20 stems from its malicious payload that modifies the package.json file by removing private flags and changing version numbers. It generates random package names, often themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This behavior not only affects the reputation of developers but also poses a risk to users who may unknowingly install compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall ronaldowati-cir20If 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 ronaldowati-cir20 package and monitor your dependencies for any malicious activity. You can also utilize tools like Vulert to check for vulnerabilities in your package-lock.json file. For example, run the following command to check your application: 'npx vulert check'.
Conclusion
The ronaldowati-cir20 package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry with compromised packages. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for any vulnerabilities to maintain the security of their applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for ronaldowati-cir20 →
FAQ
ronaldowati-cir20 is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the generation of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the installation of malicious packages that compromise your application's integrity and security.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall ronaldowati-cir20' and check your project for any other affected dependencies.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without needing to install any additional software.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check your application for vulnerabilities without signing up.
