# MAL-2026-17622: Malicious code in dzyhaxz-baileys (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `dzyhaxz-baileys` (npm)
- **Published:** 5 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xwv2-25hq-j64g

## What is MAL-2026-17622?

MAL-2026-17622 is a malicious package in dzyhaxz-baileys, published on 5 Oct 2026. 

### Official description

dzyhaxz-baileys is a fork of the Baileys WhatsApp library that, on every WhatsApp `connection.open` event, silently calls `sock.newsletterFollow` for a hardcoded channel ID `120363411407993897@newsletter` with `autoFollowChannels` defaulting to true. The README explicitly states 'No hidden auto-follow: Channel operations (sock.newsletterFollow) are strictly explicit', directly contradicting the shipped behavior — any application built on this library causes its WhatsApp-authenticated users to follow the author's channel without consent. Separately, `package.json` aliases the Signal protocol crypto library to an author-owned package via a mutable dist-tag: `"libsignal": "npm:dzyhaxz-libsignal@latest"`, with no version pin. The aliased module provides the ECDH curve primitives used by `lib/Utils/crypto.js` for WhatsApp end-to-end key agreement, and `md5`/`hkdf` are additionally re-exported from the author-controlled `@rexxhayanasi/wangcap-id-bridge`. Each install resolves whatever bytes the publisher currently points `latest` at. The auto-follow uses the installer's WhatsApp identity for reach-padding (no credential theft, no RCE, no account takeover), and the aliased crypto dependency has not been observed to contain malicious bytes in this version — but the combination is a deceptive cover-story and a weaponizable supply-chain shape.

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-2026-17622?

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-2026-17622 is a malicious package: dzyhaxz-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-2026-17622/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17622/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-17622

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17622/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.