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Part of a larger attack: @bellaxchuu published 15 malicious packages. See the full campaign →
Malicious package

@bellaxchuu/belbailsnpm

Advisory published Updated

@bellaxchuu/belbails is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-17342) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious version 1.0.1). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

Malicious code in @bellaxchuu/belbails (npm)

MAL-2026-17342
Immediate action
Remove the package, then rotate any secrets the build/runtime could reach.
npm uninstall @bellaxchuu/belbails

What this malware does

This package is part of a large family (100+ identified as of September 2026) of near-identical forks of the Baileys WhatsApp Web library that inject a covert channel-subscription action into the WhatsApp socket layer. On connect, the injected code issues an authenticated w:mex FOLLOW query (query_id 7871414976211147) against one or more attacker-chosen WhatsApp Channel/Newsletter JIDs, using the installer's own authenticated WhatsApp session -- silently subscribing the victim's account to channels it never asked to join.

The target JID(s) are hidden from casual source review via one of several obfuscation techniques observed across the family: a plain string literal, base64 encoding, base64+XOR, or a char-code array reconstructed at runtime. Some variants instead fetch a mutable, attacker-controlled remote JSON/JS list of target JIDs from GitHub or another host at runtime, letting the target list change after installation without a new npm publish. Every sample in the family shares the same underlying mechanism (a wrapped/patched socket-connect routine that fires the FOLLOW query some seconds after connect), even though the package name, JID value(s), and obfuscation/delivery method differ per fork.

The malicious action abuses the installer's own authenticated WhatsApp session to gain reach and subscribers for attacker-controlled channels; it does not exfiltrate credentials, establish persistence, or execute arbitrary remote code.

Affected package: @bellaxchuu/belbails (npm), version(s): 1.0.1.

The package was found to contain malicious code or consuming dependency that contains malicious code

Malicious versions

1 flagged
1.0.1

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

597ff47692113a399e64ec9a51aa5fed8f7372d20c2a1560b2528b357000d9bf

Detection & response playbook

Credential / info stealer
  1. Find it

    Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for @bellaxchuu/belbails (version 1.0.1).

  2. If you installed it — respond

    @bellaxchuu/belbails is built to steal secrets, so assume every credential the build or runtime could read is compromised. Remove it from your project and lockfile, then rotate ALL exposed secrets — npm/registry tokens, cloud keys, CI/CD secrets, SSH keys, and any .env values — from a known-clean machine. Audit logs for unauthorized use of those credentials.

  3. Did it already run?

    If @bellaxchuu/belbails was installed, its post-install payload may already have run. Removing the package does not undo that — check outbound connections and credential use from the install window onward.

Frequently asked questions

No. @bellaxchuu/belbails on npm has been identified as a malicious package (version 1.0.1 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

IN-MAL-2026-021150

References

Credits

  • Amazon Inspector · finder
  • OX Security · finder

Detect & block this

O3 blocks @bellaxchuu/belbails-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the credential exfiltration and severs the channel.

Explore

@bellaxchuu/belbails (npm) malicious package — MAL-2026-17342 | O3 Security