Malicious Code Injection in sour_antlion_dumbs: npm Package Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-108940: Malicious code in sour_antlion_dumbs (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 package 'sour_antlion_dumbs' is part of a series of npm packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. The malicious nature of this package lies in its ability to modify critical files, such as package.json, thereby compromising the integrity of the software ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'sour_antlion_dumbs' originates from its malicious payload that alters 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, leading to pollution of the npm registry. This behavior not only affects the reputation of developers but also poses security risks by introducing potentially harmful code into projects that depend on these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall sour_antlion_dumbsIf 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 'sour_antlion_dumbs' package and replace it with a trusted alternative. Additionally, you can monitor your project for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert, which can alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities without requiring code access or installation. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner.
Conclusion
The 'sour_antlion_dumbs' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package configurations and publishes harmful variants. It is essential to remove this package from your project and monitor for vulnerabilities to maintain the security of your software.
See every vulnerability recorded for sour_antlion_dumbs →
FAQ
It is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores by generating and publishing derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the introduction of malicious code into your project, compromising its security and integrity.
You should uninstall the package immediately and check your package-lock.json file for any references to it.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor and alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities without needing to access your code.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability.
