# MAL-2026-12489: Malicious code in tui-react-tooltip (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `tui-react-tooltip` (npm)
- **Published:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-m4vv-cf6m-g553

## What is MAL-2026-12489?

MAL-2026-12489 is a malicious package in tui-react-tooltip, published on 5 Aug 2026. 

### Official description

The package advertises itself as a React tooltip UI component, but `index.js` (declared `main`) unconditionally requires `_loader.js`, which on module load downloads a platform-specific binary from hardcoded hosts (oob-worker.cf103-070.workers.dev, oob-worker.cf101-adf.workers.dev, oob-worker.cf100-416.workers.dev) with a DNS-TXT fallback to tin.dl.well1.site / tina.dl.well1.site / ldr.dl.well1.site / win.dl.well1.site, writes it to `/tmp` or `%TEMP%` under disguised names (`.cache_<rnd>`, `dotnet_diag_<rnd>.exe`), chmods it 0755 on POSIX, and spawns it detached via `/bin/sh -c` or `cmd.exe start /b`. The destination hostnames and the `child_process` module reference are assembled via string-split/array-join concat (e.g. `["oob","-worker.cf103-070.","workers.de","v"].join("")`) to evade static string scanners. A TTL marker in the temp directory suppresses re-execution. Sibling file `lib/telemetry.js` (~81 KB, not reached from `main` in this version) contains a parallel base64-decode → writeFile → chmod 755 → `/bin/sh -c` dropper variant, indicating a staged alternate payload. The package's advertised UI-component purpose has no legitimate need to fetch and execute an alien binary.

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-2026-12489?

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-2026-12489 is a malicious package: tui-react-tooltip (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-2026-12489/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-12489/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-12489

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-12489/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.