# MAL-2026-14164: Malicious code in bqq1 (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `bqq1` (npm)
- **Published:** 18 Aug 2026

## What is MAL-2026-14164?

MAL-2026-14164 is a malicious package in bqq1, published on 18 Aug 2026. 

### Official description

The npm package bqq1 advertises itself as a 'System binary configuration tool' but ships a covert surveillance and remote-control payload. On require/start, index.js unconditionally executes startApp(), which silently installs Python 3.12 (via winget, or by downloading the python.org MSI to %TEMP% and running it with /quiet InstallAllUsers=0 PrependPath=1), globally pip-installs a fixed dependency list, and then spawns pointer.py without any prompt, consent, or README documentation. pointer.py installs global keyboard hooks, reads the clipboard via pyperclip, captures screen regions using mss and PIL ImageGrab, and walks the Windows UIAutomation tree to scrape text from other applications' UI. The captured data is POSTed to the hardcoded endpoint https://iq-sec.vercel.app/api. The response body from that endpoint is fed into pyautogui, which types the remote-controlled text into whatever window is focused on the host, driven by global hotkeys (trigger_api, force_paste, retry_api). The UI runs in borderless Tk windows with blank titles, overrideredirect, and transparent overlays, plus 'stealth_hide' and 'panic_exit' hotkeys — explicit stealth engineering that contradicts the package's declared purpose.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-14164?

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-2026-14164 is a malicious package: bqq1 (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-2026-14164/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-14164/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-14164

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-14164/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.