Malicious Code Injection in tealove-nice9: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-168535: Malicious code in tealove-nice9 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package tealove-nice9 is part of a series of npm packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards related to the tea protocol, making it a significant concern for developers relying on npm for package management.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in tealove-nice9 stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This leads to the continuous republishing of variants, which pollutes the npm registry and can compromise the integrity of applications that depend on these packages. The origin of this issue is linked to a broader campaign that exploits npm's publishing mechanisms for malicious purposes.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tealove-nice9If 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-nice9 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-nice9 package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. Developers should take immediate action to remove this package and monitor their projects for any unauthorized changes. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in maintaining the security of open-source dependencies.
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FAQ
Tealove-nice9 is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at manipulating the npm registry for token rewards.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications in your package.json file, potentially compromising your application's integrity and security.
You should remove the tealove-nice9 package from your project immediately and check for any unauthorized changes in your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
