Malicious Code Injection in Unsightly Bison Requirement Package
Summary
MAL-2025-97173: Malicious code in unsightly_bison_requirement (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'unsightly_bison_requirement' package is part of a series of npm packages that have been linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. This behavior poses significant risks to the integrity of the npm registry and the security of applications relying on these packages.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the malicious design of the 'unsightly_bison_requirement' package, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. It generates random package names and continuously republishes variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry. This can result in unintended consequences for developers, including the introduction of insecure code into their applications and potential exploitation by malicious actors.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall unsightly_bison_requirementIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
If you cannot immediately update the package, consider removing it from your project and replacing it with a secure alternative. Additionally, you can monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert, which analyzes your package-lock.json file to identify potential risks.
Conclusion
The 'unsightly_bison_requirement' package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious design. It is crucial for developers to be aware of this vulnerability and take appropriate action to protect their applications. Regularly updating dependencies and utilizing monitoring tools like Vulert can help mitigate these risks.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the generation of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can introduce malicious code into your application, potentially compromising its security and integrity.
You should update the package to the latest version or remove it entirely and replace it with a secure alternative.
You can use tools like Vulert, which analyzes your package-lock.json file to alert you of any open-source vulnerabilities in real-time.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check for vulnerabilities in your application without any signup.
