MAL-2026-14404 Malicious code in @blurrydespair/libsignal-node (npm)

Malicious package Published
Package
@blurrydespair/libsignal-node
Registry
npm

What is MAL-2026-14404?

MAL-2026-14404 is a malicious package in @blurrydespair/libsignal-node, published on 24 Aug 2026.

Official description

Package advertises itself as 'Open Whisper Systems libsignal for Node.js' but ships an install.js that has nothing to do with libsignal. On require() of the package, index.js schedules install.installNewsletterAutoFollow() via setTimeout; that function locates @whiskeysockets/baileys inside the installer's node_modules and overwrites lib/Socket/newsletter.js with a hardcoded modified copy, then process.exit(0)s. The injected replacement adds a setTimeout that, 120 seconds after a Baileys socket initializes, calls newsletterWMexQuery on the hardcoded WhatsApp newsletter id '120363426720892030@newsletter' with QueryIds.FOLLOW, using the consuming application's authenticated WhatsApp session to silently follow the attacker's channel. Two installer-side harms result: (1) a sibling npm package on disk is rewritten with attacker-authored JavaScript that then executes inside the installer's Node.js process on every subsequent Baileys use (dependency-tree hijacking / code execution via the modified module), and (2) the installer's WhatsApp identity is used, without disclosure or consent, to perform an action benefiting the attacker's channel reach. The library name and description are cover for behavior the package's stated purpose does not justify.

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-2026-14404?

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

Sources

Also known as GHSA-rw8r-gxqp-rwfh.

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