Malicious Code Injection in unexpected_leopon-apptea: A Threat to npm Packages
Summary
MAL-2025-110093: Malicious code in unexpected_leopon-apptea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The package 'unexpected_leopon-apptea' is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign that has recently infiltrated the npm ecosystem. This package is designed to facilitate token rewards through the generation of derivative packages. However, it has been identified as containing malicious scripts that compromise the integrity of the npm registry by creating numerous variants of itself with altered metadata.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in 'unexpected_leopon-apptea' originates from its malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior not only inflates developer reputation scores for the tea protocol but also leads to the pollution of the npm registry with potentially harmful packages. The malicious payload is executed through scripts like auto.js and autopublish.js, which continuously republish these variants, posing a significant risk to developers and users relying on npm packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall unexpected_leopon-appteaIf 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 malicious package by using npm's package-lock.json to lock your dependencies. Additionally, consider using the following command to uninstall the package: 'npm uninstall unexpected_leopon-apptea'.
Conclusion
The 'unexpected_leopon-apptea' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry with harmful variants. It is essential to remove this package and monitor your dependencies to maintain the security of your applications.
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FAQ
The malicious code modifies package metadata and repackages itself under random names, compromising the npm registry.
You can use Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities. Visit Vulert Scanner to check your application without needing to sign up.
Using this package can lead to the installation of harmful derivatives, which may compromise your application's security and integrity.
Regularly audit your dependencies and use tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Immediately uninstall the package using 'npm uninstall unexpected_leopon-apptea' and check for any other affected packages.
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Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
