Malicious Code Injection in 'written_moose_dumbs' Package
Summary
MAL-2025-111037: Malicious code in written_moose_dumbs (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'written_moose_dumbs' package is part of a series of npm packages that were created as part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. These packages are designed to inflate developer reputation scores by automatically generating and publishing derivative packages with randomized names. This behavior poses significant risks to the integrity of the npm registry and can lead to the proliferation of malicious software.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the 'written_moose_dumbs' package stems from its malicious payload, which modifies the package.json file to remove private flags, alters version numbers, and generates random package names. This behavior is intended to pollute the npm registry and can lead to unauthorized access or manipulation of systems that rely on these packages. The origin of this vulnerability is linked to a broader campaign aimed at exploiting the npm ecosystem for token rewards, making it a significant threat to developers and users alike.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall written_moose_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 remove the 'written_moose_dumbs' package from your project by executing the following command: 'npm uninstall written_moose_dumbs'. This will prevent any malicious code from executing in your application.
Conclusion
The 'written_moose_dumbs' package poses a significant threat due to its malicious behavior aimed at polluting the npm registry. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant and take immediate action to remove or update this package to safeguard their applications.
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FAQ
The 'written_moose_dumbs' package is an npm package that is part of a malicious campaign to inflate developer reputation scores through the automatic generation of derivative packages.
This vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications in your package.json file, potentially allowing malicious code to execute within your application.
If you are using the 'written_moose_dumbs' package, you should uninstall it immediately and check for any other affected packages in your project.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software by analyzing your package-lock.json file.
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