Malicious Code Injection in yearling_squid_requirement Package
Summary
MAL-2025-97485: Malicious code in yearling_squid_requirement (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The yearling_squid_requirement package is an npm module that is part of the tea.xyz token reward campaign. It is designed to facilitate the generation and publication of derivative packages. However, this package has been identified as malicious, containing scripts that manipulate its own metadata and publish variants to inflate developer reputation scores for token rewards.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from the presence of malicious code within the yearling_squid_requirement package. This code modifies the package.json file by removing private flags, altering version numbers, and generating random package names. The scripts are designed to continuously republish these variants, leading to pollution of the npm registry and potential security risks for developers who inadvertently use these packages.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall yearling_squid_requirementIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, avoid using the yearling_squid_requirement package and consider using alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks.
Conclusion
The yearling_squid_requirement package poses a significant security risk due to its malicious code that alters package metadata and republish variants. It is crucial to remove this package from your projects and monitor for vulnerabilities using tools like Vulert.
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FAQ
It is an npm package that is part of a token reward campaign, but it has been identified as malicious due to its harmful scripts.
The malicious code can modify your package.json, remove private flags, and republish variants, potentially compromising your project's integrity.
You should uninstall the yearling_squid_requirement package immediately using 'npm uninstall yearling_squid_requirement'.
Yes, Vulert can monitor and alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just your package-lock.json file.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without needing to sign up.
