Malicious Code Injection in tiny_locust-silentdev: A Threat to npm Users
Summary
MAL-2025-109707: Malicious code in tiny_locust-silentdev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
tiny_locust-silentdev is an npm package that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate the distribution of token rewards through various npm packages. However, this package has been identified as containing malicious code that can compromise the integrity of the npm registry and the applications that depend on it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in tiny_locust-silentdev originates from its association with a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. These packages contain scripts that automatically modify the package.json file to remove private flags, change version numbers, and generate random package names. This behavior not only inflates developer reputation scores but also pollutes the npm registry, potentially leading to security risks for applications relying on these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tiny_locust-silentdevIf 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 tiny_locust-silentdev package from your project by executing:
npm uninstall tiny_locust-silentdev
This will prevent any malicious code from executing in your application.
Conclusion
The tiny_locust-silentdev package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package configurations and pollutes the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to safeguard their applications.
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FAQ
tiny_locust-silentdev is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been found to contain malicious code.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially compromising your application's integrity and security.
You should update the package to a patched version or uninstall it to mitigate the risk of malicious code execution.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
