Malicious Code Injection in whispering_fish_dumbs Package
Summary
MAL-2025-110827: Malicious code in whispering_fish_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The whispering_fish_dumbs package is part of a series of npm packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to manipulate the npm registry by generating and publishing numerous derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior is intended to inflate developer reputation scores for rewards associated with the tea protocol.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the whispering_fish_dumbs package stems from its inclusion in a malicious campaign that utilizes autopublish scripts to modify the package.json file. This modification removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants. The ramifications include pollution of the npm registry, potential security risks for developers using these packages, and the undermining of trust in the npm ecosystem.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall whispering_fish_dumbsIf 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 avoid using the whispering_fish_dumbs package and any packages that depend on it. Additionally, consider using npm audit to identify and address vulnerabilities in your project's dependencies.
Conclusion
The whispering_fish_dumbs package is part of a malicious campaign that poses significant risks to developers and the npm ecosystem. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor your dependencies for vulnerabilities to maintain the integrity of your projects.
See every vulnerability recorded for whispering_fish_dumbs →
FAQ
It is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores through the creation of numerous derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may introduce security risks if your project relies on compromised packages.
You should remove the whispering_fish_dumbs package from your project and check for any dependencies that may also be affected.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in real-time by analyzing your package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check your application for vulnerabilities without needing to sign up.
