# MAL-2026-16473: Malicious code in sea-baileys (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `sea-baileys` (npm)
- **Published:** 23 Sep 2026

## What is MAL-2026-16473?

MAL-2026-16473 is a malicious package in sea-baileys, published on 23 Sep 2026. 

### Official description

sea-baileys is a fork of the Baileys WhatsApp Web library. Its package.json remaps the `libsignal` import specifier to `npm:@otaxayun/libsignal-node@latest` — an unrelated maintainer's package pinned to the mutable `latest` dist-tag rather than a fixed version or integrity hash. lib/Signal/libsignal.js routes the installer's Signal Protocol identity private key, signed pre-key private key, session records and sender keys through this dependency, so whatever code `@otaxayun/libsignal-node` resolves to at install time handles the consumer's WhatsApp cryptographic identity and message stream. Because the tag is mutable and owned by a third party outside the sea-baileys publisher, a single publish under that name replaces the crypto implementation on every subsequent `npm install`. Separately, lib/Utils/messages-media.js's prepareWAMessageMedia unconditionally attaches a hardcoded `annotations` block referencing the newsletter JID `120363409928671192@newsletter` ("HOSHINO AI INFORMATION") to every outgoing media message when the caller does not supply annotations, silently modifying consumer-generated WhatsApp payloads to advertise the fork author's channel.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-16473?

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-2026-16473 is a malicious package: sea-baileys (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-2026-16473/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-16473/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-16473

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-16473/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.