Malicious Code Injection in timnwd-devapptea Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-109701: Malicious code in timnwd-devapptea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The timnwd-devapptea package is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been associated with a surge of malicious packages on the npm registry. This package is designed to facilitate the generation and publication of derivative packages that aim to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. Its functionality includes automatic publishing scripts that can compromise the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the timnwd-devapptea package stems from its inclusion in a malicious campaign that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior leads to the continuous republishing of variants, effectively polluting the npm registry and potentially compromising other packages and applications that depend on it. The origin of this issue is linked to the broader tea.xyz token reward initiative, which has exploited npm's publishing capabilities.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall timnwd-devappteaIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can temporarily avoid using the timnwd-devapptea package by removing it from your package.json and running npm install to refresh your dependencies. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Conclusion
The timnwd-devapptea package poses a significant risk due to its malicious behavior, which can compromise the integrity of the npm ecosystem. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
The timnwd-devapptea package is part of a malicious campaign that generates and publishes derivative npm packages to inflate developer reputation scores.
This vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially compromising other packages and applications that depend on the affected package.
You should remove the timnwd-devapptea package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches that may be released.
You can use tools like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access or installation.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
