Malicious Code Injection in tealove-nokire5: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-168579: Malicious code in tealove-nokire5 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package tealove-nokire5 is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign that has infiltrated the npm ecosystem. It is designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages, which can mislead developers and inflate reputation scores for token rewards. This package, like others in the campaign, utilizes scripts that manipulate package metadata and republish variants to clutter the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in tealove-nokire5 stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior not only compromises the integrity of the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly install these malicious packages. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which aims to exploit the npm ecosystem for personal gain.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tealove-nokire5If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, avoid using the tealove-nokire5 package and consider using alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Regularly audit your dependencies to ensure they are secure.
Conclusion
The tealove-nokire5 package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and repopulates the registry with potentially harmful variants. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, regularly audit their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to ensure their projects remain secure.
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FAQ
Tealove-nokire5 is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign designed to inflate developer reputation scores through automated package publishing.
The vulnerability can lead to the installation of malicious packages that compromise your project's integrity and security, potentially exposing sensitive data.
You should immediately uninstall the package using npm uninstall tealove-nokire5 and audit your project for any other potentially malicious dependencies.
Regularly audit your dependencies, use tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities, and only install packages from trusted sources.
Vulert is a tool that monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file. You can check if your application is affected by vulnerabilities using the Vulert playground without any signup.
