Malicious Code Injection in terrell-teadev Package
Summary
MAL-2025-109553: Malicious code in terrell-teadev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The terrell-teadev package is part of the npm ecosystem, primarily used for development purposes. It is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been known to flood the npm registry with various packages. This package, like others in the campaign, is designed to manipulate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the terrell-teadev 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, leading to the continuous republishing of these variants. The primary risk is the pollution of the npm registry, which can affect other developers and projects relying on npm packages. The malicious payload is part of a broader scheme to exploit the npm ecosystem for token rewards.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall terrell-teadevIf 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 terrell-teadev package from your project by executing: npm uninstall terrell-teadev. This will prevent any malicious code from executing until a safe version is available.
Conclusion
The terrell-teadev package contains malicious code that poses a significant risk to the npm ecosystem. It is crucial for developers to be aware of this vulnerability, take immediate action to remove the affected package, and monitor for any updates or patches. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in identifying and managing such vulnerabilities effectively.
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FAQ
The terrell-teadev package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which automates the generation of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially affecting other developers and projects that rely on npm packages.
You should uninstall the terrell-teadev package immediately and monitor for any updates or patches that address the vulnerability.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
