Malicious Code Injection in tealove-nice2: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-168497: Malicious code in tealove-nice2 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package tealove-nice2 is part of a series of npm packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior compromises the integrity of the npm registry and poses a risk to users relying on these packages for their applications.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in tealove-nice2 originates 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 can lead to the proliferation of untrustworthy packages, potentially causing security risks for developers who inadvertently use them in their projects.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tealove-nice2If 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-nice2 package and any other packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. Additionally, you can monitor your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes or additions.
Conclusion
The tealove-nice2 package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that modifies package metadata and proliferates untrustworthy packages. It is crucial for developers to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to protect their applications.
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FAQ
tealove-nice2 is an npm package that is part of a campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the introduction of malicious code into your application, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should update the package to a patched version if available, or remove it from your project to mitigate the risk.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for open-source 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.
