Malicious Code Injection in Tropical Swallow Dumbs Package
Summary
MAL-2025-109843: Malicious code in tropical_swallow_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'tropical_swallow_dumbs' package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious scripts that compromise its integrity and the security of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious code embedded within the 'tropical_swallow_dumbs' package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants. This behavior not only pollutes the npm registry but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, potentially leading to further exploitation.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall tropical_swallow_dumbsIf 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 avoid using the 'tropical_swallow_dumbs' package and look for alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Additionally, you can monitor your package-lock.json file for any unauthorized changes that may indicate the presence of malicious packages.
Conclusion
The 'tropical_swallow_dumbs' package poses a significant security risk due to its embedded malicious code. It is crucial for developers to remove this package from their projects and monitor for any unauthorized changes. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in identifying and mitigating such vulnerabilities effectively.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to generate and publish derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json, removes private flags, and can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, potentially compromising your project's security.
You should uninstall the package immediately using 'npm uninstall tropical_swallow_dumbs' and check for any dependencies that may be affected.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time using just your package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without requiring any signup.
