Malicious Code Injection in tear-grass-rc Package
Summary
MAL-2025-168810: Malicious code in tear-grass-rc (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The tear-grass-rc package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been compromised to include malicious scripts that alter its functionality.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded in the tear-grass-rc package. This code modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, changing version numbers, and generating random package names. The malicious payload continuously republishes these variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry. This can result in security risks for developers who unknowingly use these compromised packages, potentially leading to reputation damage and loss of trust in the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tear-grass-rcIf 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 remove the tear-grass-rc package from your project to prevent any potential exploitation. Use the following command:
npm uninstall tear-grass-rc
Additionally, you can monitor your project for vulnerabilities using Vulert, which analyzes your package-lock.json file for real-time alerts on open-source vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The tear-grass-rc package has been compromised with malicious code that alters its functionality and can lead to significant security risks. It is crucial to update or remove the package to safeguard your project. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help you stay informed about vulnerabilities in your dependencies.
See every vulnerability recorded for tear-grass-rc →
FAQ
The tear-grass-rc package is part of a campaign that generates derivative packages for token rewards in the npm ecosystem.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file and can lead to the publication of compromised packages, affecting your project's integrity.
Yes, you can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
If no patched version is available, it is recommended to remove the tear-grass-rc package from your project until a secure version is released.
Regularly monitor your dependencies using tools like Vulert and keep your packages updated to the latest secure versions.
