Malicious Code Injection in ronaldowati-cir9 Package
Summary
MAL-2025-165232: Malicious code in ronaldowati-cir9 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The ronaldowati-cir9 package is part of a series of npm packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names. This functionality is exploited to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, making it a target for malicious activities.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the ronaldowati-cir9 package stems from its inclusion in a malicious campaign that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, which pollutes the npm registry and can compromise the integrity of the ecosystem. The malicious payload can potentially allow unauthorized access to sensitive information and disrupt the normal functioning of applications relying on this package.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall ronaldowati-cir9If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can prevent the installation of the ronaldowati-cir9 package by adding it to your project's .npmrc file with the following line: 'package-lock=false'. This will help avoid any accidental installations until the vulnerability is resolved.
Conclusion
The ronaldowati-cir9 package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that modifies critical files and repopulates the npm registry with harmful variants. It is essential to remove this package and monitor your projects for vulnerabilities to maintain a secure development environment.
See every vulnerability recorded for ronaldowati-cir9 →
FAQ
ronaldowati-cir9 is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through automated package publishing.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications in your package.json file, potentially compromising your application's integrity and security.
If you have installed the ronaldowati-cir9 package, it is crucial to remove it immediately and check for any unauthorized changes in your project.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json file. You can check your application for vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Regularly audit your dependencies, use tools like Vulert for monitoring, and stay updated with the latest security patches for all packages.
