Malicious Code Injection in tender_wombat_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-109544: Malicious code in tender_wombat_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The tender_wombat_0xrequest package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with malicious packages. The primary functionality of such packages is to manipulate developer reputation scores through automated publishing scripts, which can lead to significant security risks.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the tender_wombat_0xrequest package stems from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file. This code removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, which are then republished to the npm registry. This behavior not only pollutes the registry but also poses a risk of dependency confusion and potential exploitation by malicious actors. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which incentivizes the creation of such packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tender_wombat_0xrequestIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As a workaround, you can prevent the installation of this malicious package by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor dependencies. Ensure that your project does not include tender_wombat_0xrequest in its dependencies. You can also use tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities. To check if your application is affected, you can use the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The tender_wombat_0xrequest package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and repopulates the npm registry with harmful variants. It is essential to remove this package and monitor your project for vulnerabilities to maintain a secure development environment.
See every vulnerability recorded for tender_wombat_0xrequest →
FAQ
It is an npm package associated with a token reward campaign that has been identified as malicious.
The vulnerability can lead to dependency confusion, allowing malicious actors to exploit your application by injecting harmful code.
You should remove the tender_wombat_0xrequest package from your project and monitor your dependencies for any other malicious packages.
Yes, Vulert allows you to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file.
Regularly audit your dependencies, use tools like Vulert, and stay informed about known vulnerabilities in the npm ecosystem.
