Malicious Code Injection in Severe Mollusk Appteadev Package
Summary
MAL-2025-108571: Malicious code in severe_mollusk-appteadev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The 'severe_mollusk-appteadev' package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate various functionalities, but it has been compromised to include malicious code that affects its integrity and security. The package is known for its automatic publishing capabilities, which have been exploited to generate numerous derivative packages with randomized names, thereby inflating developer reputation scores.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded within the 'severe_mollusk-appteadev' package. This code modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and creating random Indonesian-themed package names. The malicious payload continuously republishes variants of the package to pollute the npm registry, posing significant risks to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages. The ramifications include potential security breaches, loss of data integrity, and damage to the reputation of developers associated with the affected packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall severe_mollusk-appteadevIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can avoid using the 'severe_mollusk-appteadev' package altogether and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, you can monitor your project for any unauthorized changes by regularly reviewing your package.json and package-lock.json files.
Conclusion
The 'severe_mollusk-appteadev' package has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and poses significant risks to developers. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your projects for any unauthorized changes. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help you stay informed about potential vulnerabilities in your software.
See every vulnerability recorded for severe_mollusk-appteadev →
FAQ
It is an npm package that has been compromised to include malicious code, affecting its functionality and security.
The malicious code modifies your package.json, removes private flags, and republishes variants, which can lead to security vulnerabilities and data integrity issues.
You should uninstall the package immediately and monitor your project for any unauthorized changes.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without any signup.
Regularly audit your dependencies, keep your packages updated, and use tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in real-time.
