# MAL-2026-12226: Malicious code in time-webkit-tag (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `time-webkit-tag` (npm)
- **Published:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hq8m-4h47-frrh

## What is MAL-2026-12226?

MAL-2026-12226 is a malicious package in time-webkit-tag, published on 5 Aug 2026. 

### Official description

On require of the package, index.js loads _init.js which unconditionally invokes start(). start() selects a platform-specific asset path, assembles CDN hostnames from split string arrays (oob-worker.cf101-adf.workers.dev family, with a *.dl.well1.site DNS-TXT chunked-transfer fallback), fetches an opaque binary over HTTPS, writes it to /var/tmp or %TEMP% under a hidden dot-file or masquerading name (e.g..cache_<rand>, dotnet_diag_<rand>.exe), chmods it 0755, and spawns it detached via /bin/sh -c or cmd.exe with.unref(). No hash or signature verification is performed and the destination hosts are assembled at runtime to evade static string matching. A second dropper implementation in lib/telemetry.js repeats the same fetch/base64-decode/chmod/spawn chain, with the chmodSync and child_process identifiers built via string concatenation (fs["chmod"+"Sync"], "child_"+"process") under an analytics-SDK cover story. The package is advertised as a webkit tag provider and has no legitimate need for this behavior.

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-2026-12226?

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-2026-12226 is a malicious package: time-webkit-tag (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-2026-12226/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-12226/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-12226

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-12226/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.