Malicious Code Injection in 'useful_crow_dumbs' Package - npm Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-110245: Malicious code in useful_crow_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'useful_crow_dumbs' package is part of a series of npm packages associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. The malicious behavior of this package includes modifying the package.json file to remove private flags and changing version numbers, which can lead to significant pollution of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the 'useful_crow_dumbs' package, which contains malicious code that modifies the package.json file to remove private flags and alters version numbers. This allows the package to generate random names and continuously republish variants, ultimately leading to the pollution of the npm registry. The ramifications include potential security risks for developers who unknowingly use these packages, as well as damage to the integrity of the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall useful_crow_dumbsIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a workaround, you can avoid using the 'useful_crow_dumbs' package altogether. If it is already in use, consider removing it from your dependencies and replacing it with a trusted alternative.
Conclusion
The 'useful_crow_dumbs' package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that modifies package.json files and repopulates the npm registry with harmful variants. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of their projects.
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FAQ
The 'useful_crow_dumbs' package is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through the automatic generation of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry, which may expose your project to security risks and affect the integrity of your dependencies.
You should remove the 'useful_crow_dumbs' package from your project and monitor for any updates or patches that may address the vulnerability.
Yes, you can use tools like Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software by analyzing your package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
