# MAL-2026-12086: Malicious code in @wethenorth12/bip39-mnemonic (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `@wethenorth12/bip39-mnemonic` (npm)
- **Published:** 5 Aug 2026

## What is MAL-2026-12086?

MAL-2026-12086 is a malicious package in @wethenorth12/bip39-mnemonic, published on 5 Aug 2026. 

### Official description

On require of the package's main entrypoint, the module collects hostname, username, home directory, platform, cwd, and the entire process.env, base64-encodes the JSON blob, and sends it as a Telegram sendMessage HTTP GET to a hardcoded bot token with chat_id=8969499041 on api.telegram.org. A tmp flag file suppresses repeat sends. The bulk process.env dump routinely contains installer credentials (AWS_*, NPM_TOKEN, GH_TOKEN, DB_PASSWORD, CI secrets), all of which are compromised on first import. The package additionally typosquats the legitimate `bip39` library: package name, description, keywords and README ("Drop-in replacement for bip39") mimic it, and the `author` field is set to `bitcoinjs-lib` to impersonate an established maintainer. When the real `bip39` is not present the package exposes a stub `generateMnemonic`/`createWallet` returning `crypto.randomBytes(32).toString('hex')` — non-standard mnemonic material that diverges from BIP-39 and would produce attacker-observable or non-recoverable wallet keys if used by downstream code.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-12086?

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-2026-12086 is a malicious package: @wethenorth12/bip39-mnemonic (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-2026-12086/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-12086/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-12086

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-12086/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.