Malicious Code Injection in supposed_gopher-smiletea Package
Summary
MAL-2025-109323: Malicious code in supposed_gopher-smiletea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The supposed_gopher-smiletea package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores. Its functionality is compromised due to the presence of malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the supposed_gopher-smiletea package arises from malicious code that modifies the package.json file. This code removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry. The origin of this issue is linked to the broader tea.xyz token reward campaign, which employs these tactics to exploit the npm ecosystem. The ramifications include potential security risks for developers and users, as well as the degradation of the npm registry's integrity.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall supposed_gopher-smileteaIf 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 supposed_gopher-smiletea package from your project by executing: npm uninstall supposed_gopher-smiletea. This will prevent any malicious code from executing until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The supposed_gopher-smiletea package contains malicious code that poses a significant risk to developers and the integrity of the npm registry. It is crucial to take immediate action by uninstalling the package and monitoring for updates. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your open-source dependencies.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially leading to security vulnerabilities and pollution of the npm registry.
You should uninstall the package immediately and monitor for any updates or patches that may be released.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
