Malicious Code Injection in spatial_manatee-gooddev: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-108979: Malicious code in spatial_manatee-gooddev (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 'spatial_manatee-gooddev' is part of a series of npm packages that have been linked to 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. This behavior raises significant concerns regarding the integrity and security of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'spatial_manatee-gooddev' originates from its malicious intent to manipulate the npm registry. It contains scripts that modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. This not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses risks of unintentional dependency inclusion in projects that use this package, potentially leading to further exploitation.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall spatial_manatee-gooddevIf 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 remove the 'spatial_manatee-gooddev' package from your project by executing: 'npm uninstall spatial_manatee-gooddev'. This will prevent any malicious code from executing until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The 'spatial_manatee-gooddev' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code designed to manipulate the npm registry. It is essential to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to safeguard your projects from potential exploitation.
See every vulnerability recorded for spatial_manatee-gooddev →
FAQ
The vulnerability involves malicious code that modifies package metadata and floods the npm registry with derivative packages.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
Using this package can lead to unintentional inclusion of malicious dependencies, compromising the security of your application.
Regularly audit your dependencies and use tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in real-time.
If an immediate update is not possible, consider removing the package from your project as a temporary measure.
