Malicious Code Injection in xenial_beetle_requirement Package
Summary
MAL-2025-97437: Malicious code in xenial_beetle_requirement (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The 'xenial_beetle_requirement' 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 rewards. However, it has been identified as containing malicious code that compromises its integrity and the security of applications that depend on it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the 'xenial_beetle_requirement' 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 significant security risks, including unauthorized access to sensitive data and the potential for further exploitation of affected systems. The malicious code is part of a broader scheme to manipulate npm's reputation system.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall xenial_beetle_requirementIf 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 'xenial_beetle_requirement' package from your project by executing 'npm uninstall xenial_beetle_requirement'. This will prevent the malicious code from executing while you seek a secure alternative.
Conclusion
The 'xenial_beetle_requirement' package contains a serious vulnerability due to its malicious code, which can compromise the integrity of applications relying on it. It is crucial to take immediate action by updating or removing the package to safeguard your projects. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring for such vulnerabilities in the future.
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FAQ
It is an npm package associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, designed to automate the publication of derivative packages.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modifications of your package.json file, potentially exposing your application to security risks.
You should immediately update or uninstall the package to protect your application from the malicious code.
Yes, you can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just the package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
