Malicious Code Injection in tealoveness33: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-168760: Malicious code in tealoveness33 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package tealoveness33 is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign that has infiltrated the npm ecosystem. It is designed to manipulate npm's publishing system by generating and publishing derivative packages with random names. This behavior is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards associated with the tea protocol, making it a significant concern for developers relying on npm for package management.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in tealoveness33 originates from its malicious code that 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 not only compromises the integrity of the npm ecosystem but also poses risks to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, leading to potential security breaches in their applications.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tealoveness33If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can avoid using tealoveness33 and any packages that depend on it. Regularly audit your package-lock.json file for any signs of this malicious package and remove it if found. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Conclusion
The tealoveness33 package poses a significant threat to npm users due to its malicious code designed to manipulate the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, remove any affected packages, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities. By taking these steps, you can help safeguard your projects from potential security risks.
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FAQ
Tealoveness33 is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through the publication of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the introduction of malicious code into your project, compromising its security and potentially leading to data breaches.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall tealoveness33' and check for any dependencies that may be affected.
You can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time, alerting you to any issues.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
