Malicious Code Vulnerability in tearankbreak Package
Summary
MAL-2025-98400: Malicious code in tearankbreak (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The tearankbreak package is part of a broader campaign associated with the tea.xyz token reward system, which has been flooding the npm ecosystem. This package is designed to manipulate npm's reputation system by generating and publishing numerous derivative packages with randomized names. Its primary function is to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards related to the tea protocol, but this functionality comes with significant risks due to its malicious behavior.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the tearankbreak package stems from its inclusion in a malicious campaign that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names, primarily themed around Indonesian culture, and continuously republishes these variants to pollute the npm registry. This behavior 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 and loss of trust in the package management system.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tearankbreakIf 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 tearankbreak package and monitor your project's dependencies for any signs of malicious activity. You can also use tools like Vulert to check for vulnerabilities in your package-lock.json file. For example, you can visit the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner to see if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
Conclusion
The tearankbreak package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious behavior, which includes modifying package files and republishing compromised packages. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, remove such packages, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in their projects.
See every vulnerability recorded for tearankbreak →
FAQ
The tearankbreak package is part of a malicious campaign that aims to inflate developer reputation scores in the npm ecosystem by generating and publishing numerous derivative packages.
The vulnerability can compromise the integrity of your project by introducing malicious code that modifies your package.json file and potentially leads to security breaches.
You should uninstall the tearankbreak package immediately using the command npm uninstall tearankbreak and review your project's dependencies for any other potential vulnerabilities.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json file for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without signing up.
There are no patches available for the tearankbreak package due to its malicious nature. The best course of action is to remove it from your project.
