# MAL-2026-4723: Malicious code in weavedb-sdk (npm)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `weavedb-sdk` (npm)
- **Published:** 26 May 2026

## What is MAL-2026-4723?

MAL-2026-4723 is a malicious package in weavedb-sdk, published on 26 May 2026. 

### Official description

package.json declares `"preinstall": "./tools/setup"`, where tools/setup is a 976KB stripped Linux x86-64 ELF binary (sha256 36abd242ddaa27f0160c539377a0e92cf781c1695137850acc87e3892b436d36) shipped directly in the tarball. The package self-describes as a JavaScript SDK for an Arweave-backed database; it has no native component, no binding.gyp, no C/C++/Rust source, and no build system that would justify a precompiled binary. The binary is not fetched from a publisher CDN, not version-pinned, and not hash-verified — it simply runs unconditionally with the installer's privileges on every `npm install`. Strings extracted from the binary include a PuTTY private-key header (`BEGINPRIV...KEYPuTTY-`), `RSA_PKCS1_`, `Ed25519`, `cookie`, `Authorization`, `HTTP/1.1`, `POST`, `XMLH` (XMLHttpRequest), `USERPROFILE`, `HOME`, `/proc`, `id_`, `ssh`, and a second embedded ELF header at offset ~270 (UPX-packed loader pattern). This fingerprint set — SSH/PuTTY private-key parsing primitives + browser cookie/Authorization-header scraping + HTTP POST exfil scaffolding + home-directory and /proc traversal — is the canonical shape of a credential and SSH-key stealer. Installing this package on Linux compromises stored SSH/PuTTY keys, browser session cookies, and any credentials reachable from the user's home directory and environment.

This package was compromised as part of the IronWorm campaign. This campaign executes a malicious binary payload during installation via a preinstall hook. The payload is a Rust-built infostealer that targets developer environments, scanning for and harvesting credentials related to cloud providers, object storage, databases, source-control, package registries, and AI developer tools. It also targets cryptocurrency wallets, specifically injecting a malicious JavaScript hook into the Exodus desktop wallet to capture passwords and recovery phrases. Furthermore, the malware exhibits worm-like behavior by stealing GitHub and NPM credentials to push malicious updates to the victim's repositories and publish trojanized packages, and it uses an eBPF-based kernel rootkit to hide its processes and network connections on Linux systems.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-4723?

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-2026-4723 is a malicious package: weavedb-sdk (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-2026-4723/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-4723/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-4723

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-4723/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.