Malicious Code Injection in surprising_fox-appteadev Package
Summary
MAL-2025-109349: Malicious code in surprising_fox-appteadev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The surprising_fox-appteadev package is part of the npm ecosystem, often utilized in various JavaScript applications. It is designed to facilitate development tasks but has been compromised. This package is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has resulted in the proliferation of malicious packages aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through automated scripts.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the package's involvement in a malicious campaign that modifies the package.json file by removing private flags and altering version numbers. It generates random package names, often themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This can lead to significant security risks, including the potential for unauthorized access to sensitive data and the degradation of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall surprising_fox-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 malicious package by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor dependencies. Ensure that your project does not include surprising_fox-appteadev by checking your package.json and removing any references to it.
Conclusion
The surprising_fox-appteadev package has been identified as a vector for malicious code injection, posing significant risks to applications that utilize it. It is crucial to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to safeguard your project. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring and alerting for such vulnerabilities in real-time.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that has been compromised and is associated with a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications in your package.json file, potentially exposing your application to security risks.
You should update the package to a patched version or remove it entirely from your project to mitigate the risk.
You can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without any signup.
