Malicious Code Injection in selfish_tern-strongdev Package
Summary
MAL-2025-108523: Malicious code in selfish_tern-strongdev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The selfish_tern-strongdev package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with 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. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and the security of applications that depend on it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the selfish_tern-strongdev package originates from its involvement in a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. The malicious payload modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the pollution of the npm registry. This can result in security risks for developers and users, as it may allow unauthorized access to sensitive data or the execution of harmful scripts.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall selfish_tern-strongdevIf 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 remove the affected package from your project by executing: npm uninstall selfish_tern-strongdev. This will prevent any malicious code from executing while you seek a secure alternative.
Conclusion
The selfish_tern-strongdev package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses significant security risks. It is crucial for developers to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to protect their applications. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor for such vulnerabilities in real-time.
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FAQ
The vulnerability involves malicious code that modifies package.json and floods the npm registry with derivative packages, posing security risks.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without needing to sign up.
The consequences include unauthorized access to sensitive data, execution of harmful scripts, and overall compromise of application security.
Yes, updating the package to a patched version or removing it entirely from your project can mitigate the risks.
If no patched version is available, consider removing the package and replacing it with a secure alternative that does not have known vulnerabilities.
