Malicious Code Injection in tealove-darknest42: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-168300: Malicious code in tealove-darknest42 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
tealove-darknest42 is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to interact with the npm registry, allowing developers to publish their packages. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that can compromise the integrity of the npm ecosystem by generating and publishing derivative packages with altered metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in tealove-darknest42 originates from its malicious payload, 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 not only inflates developer reputation scores for token rewards but also poses a risk of dependency confusion and potential exploitation of other packages relying on these malicious variants.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tealove-darknest42If 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-darknest42 package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, you can monitor your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes.
Conclusion
The tealove-darknest42 package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry with harmful variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package from their projects and monitor for any unauthorized changes to maintain the integrity of their applications.
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FAQ
tealove-darknest42 is an npm package involved in a token reward campaign that has been identified as containing malicious code.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications of your package.json file and the introduction of malicious packages into your project, potentially compromising security.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall tealove-darknest42' and check your project for any unauthorized changes.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json file. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground without any signup.
Regularly update your dependencies, monitor your package-lock.json for changes, and utilize tools like Vulert to stay informed about potential vulnerabilities.
