Malicious Code Injection in wilful_egret_dumbs Package
Summary
MAL-2025-110923: Malicious code in wilful_egret_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The wilful_egret_dumbs package is part of the npm ecosystem and is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign. This package is designed to facilitate the automatic generation and publication of derivative packages, which can inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises the integrity of the npm registry.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the wilful_egret_dumbs package stems from its malicious payload that modifies the package.json file. It removes private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, which can lead to the pollution of the npm registry. This behavior not only affects the integrity of the npm ecosystem but also poses a risk to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which employs autopublish scripts to automate the creation of these malicious packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall wilful_egret_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 wilful_egret_dumbs package and any packages that depend on it. Additionally, consider using tools like Vulert to monitor your project for vulnerabilities. You can check if your application is affected by this vulnerability using the Vulert playground at https://vulert.com/scanner without any signup.
Conclusion
The wilful_egret_dumbs package poses a significant risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and pollutes the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to remove this package from their projects and monitor for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert to ensure the integrity of their applications.
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FAQ
The wilful_egret_dumbs package is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the publication of derivative packages.
The malicious code modifies your package.json file, potentially leading to the publication of compromised packages and polluting the npm registry.
You should uninstall the wilful_egret_dumbs package immediately using the command npm uninstall wilful_egret_dumbs.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
