# MAL-2026-11176: Malicious code in @bowozzz/baileys (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `@bowozzz/baileys` (npm)
- **Published:** 29 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f9vh-885g-hv2f

## What is MAL-2026-11176?

MAL-2026-11176 is a malicious package in @bowozzz/baileys, published on 29 Jul 2026. 

### Official description

Package is a fork of the Baileys WhatsApp Web library. A single static pattern fired on lib/Utils/generics.js where the tokens 'ping' and 'GET' appear alongside identifier strings, matching a generic network+command keyword co-occurrence rule. In Baileys, 'ping' refers to the WhatsApp XMPP-style ping/keepalive stanza used to maintain the WebSocket connection, and 'GET' refers to protocol query types — not to OS ping execution or HTTP exfiltration. No install/postinstall lifecycle scripts, no top-level import-time network activity to attacker infrastructure, no reads of installer secrets (~/.aws, ~/.ssh, ~/.npmrc, browser stores), no credential-harvest fingerprint, and no hardcoded C2 destination were observed. The finding is consistent with a false-positive keyword match on the library's WhatsApp protocol code.

Any computer that has this package installed or running should be considered fully compromised. All secrets and keys stored on that computer should be rotated immediately from a different computer. The package should be removed, but as full control of the computer may have been given to an outside entity, there is no guarantee that removing the package will remove all malicious software resulting from installing it.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-11176?

Remove the package from your dependencies and lockfiles, then rotate any secrets on machines where it was installed.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
MAL-2026-11176 is a malicious package: @bowozzz/baileys (npm). Every version was published to cause harm.

Task:
1. Search this repository's dependency manifests and lockfiles for the package, including transitive dependencies.
2. If it is present, remove it, regenerate the lockfile with the project's package manager, and replace whatever it was used for.
3. List any CI runners, developer machines or containers that installed it, so their secrets can be rotated.
4. If the package is not used anywhere, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-11176/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-11176/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-11176

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-11176/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.