Malicious Code Injection in tealove-coki45: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-168203: Malicious code in tealove-coki45 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package tealove-coki45 is part of a broader campaign associated with the tea.xyz token reward system. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to manipulate the npm registry by generating and publishing numerous derivative packages with randomized names. Its primary function is to inflate developer reputation scores in exchange for tea protocol token rewards, making it a target for malicious activity.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in tealove-coki45 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 integrity of the ecosystem. The origin of this issue is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which exploits npm's publishing mechanisms.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tealove-coki45If 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 tealove-coki45 by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor dependencies. If you suspect that your project might be affected, you can use the following command to audit your dependencies: 'npm audit'. This will help identify any vulnerabilities in your project.
Conclusion
The tealove-coki45 package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant and take immediate action to remove such packages from their projects. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring and identifying vulnerabilities effectively.
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FAQ
Tealove-coki45 is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publishing of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can compromise your project's integrity by polluting the npm registry with malicious packages, potentially leading to security risks and reputation damage.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall tealove-coki45' and audit your project for any other vulnerabilities.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. You can check your application for vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Yes, it is advisable to look for reputable packages that serve the same purpose without the associated risks. Always check package reviews and maintainers' credibility.
