Malicious Code Injection in vitreous_crane-apptea: npm Package Vulnerability
Summary
MAL-2025-110594: Malicious code in vitreous_crane-apptea (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The vitreous_crane-apptea package is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign that has infiltrated the npm ecosystem. This package is designed to facilitate token rewards through the generation and publication of derivative packages. Its functionality is compromised by malicious scripts that manipulate package metadata and flood the npm registry with unwanted variants.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from the presence of malicious code within the vitreous_crane-apptea package. This code modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names, which are often themed around Indonesian culture. The malicious payload continuously republishes these variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry and potential reputation damage for developers. The exploitation of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized access to sensitive information and compromise the integrity of the software supply chain.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall vitreous_crane-appteaIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can prevent the installation of this malicious package by using npm's package-lock.json file to restrict the versioning of dependencies. Ensure that your project does not include vitreous_crane-apptea in its dependencies.
Conclusion
The vitreous_crane-apptea package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and floods the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package and monitor their projects for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of their software.
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FAQ
vitreous_crane-apptea is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been identified to contain malicious code.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, removes private flags, and floods the npm registry with unwanted package variants, potentially harming your project's reputation.
You should uninstall the vitreous_crane-apptea package immediately using the command: npm uninstall vitreous_crane-apptea.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor your project for open-source vulnerabilities. It analyzes your package-lock.json file to provide real-time alerts without requiring code access.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
