Malicious Code Injection in tealoveness26: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-168752: Malicious code in tealoveness26 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package tealoveness26 is part of a broader campaign associated with the tea.xyz token reward initiative. It is designed to manipulate the npm ecosystem by generating and publishing numerous derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards associated with the tea protocol.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in tealoveness26 stems from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This results in the continuous republishing of variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry. The origin of this malicious behavior is linked to a campaign that exploits npm's package management system, posing risks such as reputation damage for developers and potential security threats for users who unknowingly install these compromised packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tealoveness26If 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 tealoveness26 and any packages that depend on it. Additionally, consider using npm audit to identify and address vulnerabilities in your project: 'npm audit'.
Conclusion
The tealoveness26 package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior. It is essential for developers to be vigilant and take immediate action to remove any affected packages and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can enhance your security posture by providing real-time alerts for open-source vulnerabilities.
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FAQ
Tealoveness26 is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at manipulating the npm ecosystem for token rewards.
The vulnerability can lead to the installation of compromised packages, which may harm your project's integrity and security.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall tealoveness26' and check for any other affected packages.
You can use tools like npm audit to scan your project for vulnerabilities. Additionally, Vulert can monitor your package-lock.json for real-time alerts on open-source vulnerabilities.
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.
