Malicious Code Injection in thick_firefly_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-109601: Malicious code in thick_firefly_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The thick_firefly_0xrequest 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, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. Its functionality is compromised by malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package being part of a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. The malicious payload alters the package.json file by removing private flags, changing version numbers, and generating random package names. This behavior can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially affecting developers who rely on the integrity of packages from npm.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall thick_firefly_0xrequestIf 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 prevent the installation of this package by using npm's package-lock.json to monitor dependencies. If you are using Vulert, you can check your application for vulnerabilities without requiring access to the code or installation. Use the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner to see if your application is affected.
Conclusion
The thick_firefly_0xrequest package contains a serious vulnerability due to its association with a malicious campaign. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for any potential threats. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for thick_firefly_0xrequest →
FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, affecting the integrity of packages and potentially introducing malicious code into your project.
You should remove the thick_firefly_0xrequest package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability.
