Malicious Code Injection in syahlan-poke23: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-166521: Malicious code in syahlan-poke23 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'syahlan-poke23' is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been linked to a series of malicious activities aimed at inflating developer reputation scores. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to automatically generate and publish derivative packages, potentially compromising the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'syahlan-poke23' originates from its malicious payload that modifies the package.json file. It removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of these variants. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly install these compromised packages, potentially leading to further exploitation.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall syahlan-poke23If 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 avoid using 'syahlan-poke23' and any other packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. Monitor your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes and consider using tools like Vulert to keep track of vulnerabilities in your dependencies.
Conclusion
The 'syahlan-poke23' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious behavior aimed at manipulating the npm ecosystem. It is essential for developers to be vigilant, regularly update their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to safeguard their applications from such vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for syahlan-poke23 →
FAQ
The impact includes potential exposure to malicious code that can compromise your application and inflate developer reputation scores through unauthorized package publishing.
You can use Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities. The Vulert playground allows you to check your application without any signup.
Immediately uninstall the package using 'npm uninstall syahlan-poke23' and review your project for any other potentially compromised packages.
Yes, tools like Vulert can help you monitor and alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software.
It is recommended to check for vulnerabilities regularly, especially after major updates or when new packages are added to your project.
