Malicious Code Vulnerability in witty_hare_0xrequest Package
Summary
MAL-2025-110981: Malicious code in witty_hare_0xrequest (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The witty_hare_0xrequest package is part of a series of npm packages that emerged during the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to automate the generation and publication of derivative packages, often with randomized names, to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards. This behavior raises concerns about the integrity of the npm registry and the potential for malicious exploitation.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the presence of malicious code within the witty_hare_0xrequest package. This code modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names, leading to the continuous republishing of variants that pollute the npm registry. The origin of this issue is linked to the broader campaign that exploits npm's publishing mechanisms, posing risks of reputation damage and potential security breaches for developers using these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall witty_hare_0xrequestIf 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 prevent the installation of the witty_hare_0xrequest package by using npm's package-lock.json file to lock dependencies. Additionally, consider using the following command to uninstall the package: npm uninstall witty_hare_0xrequest.
Conclusion
The witty_hare_0xrequest package contains malicious code that poses significant risks to developers and their applications. It is crucial to remove this package and monitor for any potential vulnerabilities in your dependencies. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help maintain the security of your software.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that is part of a campaign to generate and publish derivative packages for token rewards, often containing malicious code.
The vulnerability can lead to the pollution of the npm registry and may compromise the integrity of your application by introducing malicious code.
You should uninstall the witty_hare_0xrequest package immediately and monitor your application for any unusual behavior.
Yes, you can use Vulert to monitor and alert in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software without requiring code access or installation.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
