Malicious Code Injection in tealove-aruma4: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-168096: Malicious code in tealove-aruma4 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
tealove-aruma4 is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to incentivize developers through token rewards by publishing derivative packages. However, this package has been identified as malicious, containing scripts that manipulate package metadata and flood the npm registry with unwanted variants.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in tealove-aruma4 arises from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, leading to pollution of the npm registry. The origin of this issue is linked to a broader campaign that exploits npm's publishing mechanisms, posing risks to developers and users relying on the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tealove-aruma4If 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 tealove-aruma4 and any packages that may depend on it. Regularly audit your dependencies using tools like npm audit to identify and mitigate risks associated with malicious packages.
Conclusion
The tealove-aruma4 package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code that manipulates package metadata and floods the registry. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, regularly audit their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities.
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FAQ
tealove-aruma4 is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been identified as containing malicious code.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, removes private flags, and floods the npm registry with unwanted package variants, potentially compromising your project's integrity.
You can use Vulert to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Visit Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
If you have installed tealove-aruma4, you should uninstall it immediately using 'npm uninstall tealove-aruma4' and audit your dependencies for any other potential vulnerabilities.
Yes, tools like npm audit and Vulert can help you identify and manage vulnerabilities in your npm packages effectively.
