Malicious Code Injection in tealove-coki41: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-168199: Malicious code in tealove-coki41 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package tealove-coki41 is part of a series of malicious packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. The primary functionality of these packages is to inflate developer reputation scores in exchange for tea protocol token rewards, making them a significant threat to the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in tealove-coki41 stems from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising the security of applications that depend on these packages. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the broader trend of malicious packages flooding the npm ecosystem, aimed at exploiting developer incentives.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tealove-coki41If 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 the tealove-coki41 package 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 tealove-coki41 package poses a significant threat to npm users due to its malicious behavior aimed at manipulating the npm registry. It is essential to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for tealove-coki41 →
FAQ
Tealove-coki41 is a malicious npm package that is part of a campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the publication of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications in your package.json file, potentially compromising the security and integrity of your application.
You should uninstall the package immediately using the command npm uninstall tealove-coki41 and check for any other affected packages.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
