Malicious Code Injection in tasteless_earthworm-silentdev Package
Summary
MAL-2025-109504: Malicious code in tasteless_earthworm-silentdev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The tasteless_earthworm-silentdev package is part of the npm ecosystem, primarily used for JavaScript development. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with various packages. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to manipulate npm's publishing system, potentially harming developers' reputations and the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the tasteless_earthworm-silentdev package stems from its malicious code, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, often themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This behavior can lead to a loss of trust in the npm ecosystem and can inflate developer reputation scores fraudulently.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tasteless_earthworm-silentdevIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can prevent the installation of this package by using npm's package-lock.json file to monitor dependencies. Ensure that you do not include tasteless_earthworm-silentdev in your dependencies list. You can also use the following command to audit your project for vulnerabilities: 'npm audit'.
Conclusion
The tasteless_earthworm-silentdev package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package configurations and floods the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant and remove such packages from their projects. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring and identifying vulnerabilities in real-time.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, known for flooding the npm registry with malicious packages.
The vulnerability can compromise the integrity of your project by introducing malicious code that alters your package configurations and can lead to reputational damage.
You should uninstall the package immediately and check for any other dependencies that may be affected.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
