Malicious Code Injection in tropical_flea_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-109838: Malicious code in tropical_flea_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The tropical_flea_0xrequest package is part of the npm ecosystem, often associated with token reward campaigns. It is designed to facilitate various functionalities within applications that utilize npm packages. However, this package has been identified as malicious, containing scripts that manipulate package metadata and flood the npm registry with derivative packages, thereby compromising the integrity of the ecosystem.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the presence of malicious code within the tropical_flea_0xrequest package. This code is designed to modify the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. The malicious payload continuously republishes these variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry and potentially damaging the reputation of legitimate developers. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which incentivizes the creation of such malicious packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tropical_flea_0xrequestIf 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 prevent the installation of this package by using npm's package-lock.json file to monitor dependencies. Ensure that your project does not include tropical_flea_0xrequest in the dependencies list. You can also utilize tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities in real-time without requiring code access.
Conclusion
The tropical_flea_0xrequest package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is essential to remove this package from your project and monitor for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert to ensure the integrity of your applications.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that has been identified as malicious, designed to manipulate package metadata and flood the npm registry.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially damaging your application's reputation and integrity.
You should uninstall the tropical_flea_0xrequest package immediately and check for any dependencies that may rely on it.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor your project for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using the package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without any signup.
