Malicious Code Injection in surprised_chicken-gooddev Package
Summary
MAL-2025-109338: Malicious code in surprised_chicken-gooddev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The surprised_chicken-gooddev package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package, like many others, is intended to facilitate development by providing reusable code. However, it has been identified as part of a malicious campaign that aims to exploit the npm registry by flooding it with derivative packages designed to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package being part of a malicious campaign associated with the tea.xyz token reward initiative. It contains scripts that automatically modify the package.json file to remove private flags, alter version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, which clutters the npm registry and can potentially compromise the integrity of other packages and applications relying on this ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall surprised_chicken-gooddevIf 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 file to monitor dependencies. If you are using Vulert, you can leverage its capabilities to monitor and alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The surprised_chicken-gooddev package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code designed to manipulate the npm registry. It is essential to remove this package and monitor your application for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of your software.
See every vulnerability recorded for surprised_chicken-gooddev →
FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign aimed at exploiting the npm registry.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially compromising the integrity of your application and its dependencies.
You should uninstall the surprised_chicken-gooddev package immediately and check for any dependencies that may rely on it.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor your application for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring access to the code or installation.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
