Malicious Code Injection in social_mule-appteadev Package
Summary
MAL-2025-108891: Malicious code in social_mule-appteadev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The social_mule-appteadev package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate certain functionalities within the npm registry but has been compromised to include malicious scripts. This package is particularly vulnerable due to its design, which allows for the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, leading to potential abuse of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from malicious code embedded within the social_mule-appteadev package. This code is designed to manipulate the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. The result is a flood of derivative packages that can pollute the npm registry, inflate developer reputation scores, and potentially introduce security risks to users of these packages. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to exploit npm for malicious purposes.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall social_mule-appteadevIf 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 this package by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor dependencies. If you are using Vulert, you can utilize their platform to check for vulnerabilities without needing to access the code directly. For example, you can run 'vulert check' in your project directory to see if your application is affected.
Conclusion
The social_mule-appteadev package has been identified as containing malicious code that can compromise your project. It is crucial to uninstall this package and monitor your dependencies for any vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help you stay informed about potential risks in your open-source software.
See every vulnerability recorded for social_mule-appteadev →
FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to facilitate certain functionalities but has been compromised.
The malicious code can modify your package.json file, leading to the publication of unwanted derivative packages and potential security risks.
You can use Vulert's playground to check for vulnerabilities in your application without needing to sign up or access the code.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall social_mule-appteadev' and check for any other affected packages.
Regularly monitor your dependencies using tools like Vulert, which can alert you to vulnerabilities in real-time.
