Malicious Code Injection in varied_marlin-strongdev Package
Summary
MAL-2025-110347: Malicious code in varied_marlin-strongdev (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The varied_marlin-strongdev package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages. This package, like others in the campaign, is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards, but it has been compromised to include malicious scripts.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the package being part of a malicious campaign that floods the npm registry with derivative packages. The malicious code modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. This behavior leads to the pollution of the npm registry and can compromise the integrity of applications relying on this package.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall varied_marlin-strongdevIf 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 remove the varied_marlin-strongdev package from your project by executing: npm uninstall varied_marlin-strongdev. This will prevent the execution of any malicious code associated with the package until a secure version is available.
Conclusion
The varied_marlin-strongdev package contains malicious code that poses significant risks to applications using it. It is crucial to update or remove the package to maintain the integrity of your software. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor for such vulnerabilities effectively.
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FAQ
The malicious code is designed to modify package.json files, remove private flags, and publish numerous derivative packages to inflate developer reputation scores.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time. By checking your package-lock.json file, you can determine if your application is affected.
Using this package can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may compromise the security and integrity of your application.
Regularly updating your dependencies and using tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities can help prevent similar issues.
If an immediate update is not possible, consider uninstalling the package as a temporary measure to mitigate risks.
