What does the @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons malware do?

@rutxploit-sec/waves-icons is a dependency-confusion proof-of-concept squatting the internal scope name @waves/icons. Its package.json declares a preinstall lifecycle hook that runs inline Node code (node -e...) which reads os.hostname() and os.userInfo().username and transmits them via http.get to a hardcoded beacon URL http://127.0.0.1:8099/?pkg= &host= &user= . The hook also prints a marker string '[BUGBOUNTY] @waves/icons dep confusion EXECUTED' to confirm execution. The code path runs automatically on npm install on any machine that resolves this squatted scope, collecting installer host identifiers and sending them to an attacker-chosen endpoint. Although the beacon is cu

Which versions of @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons are malicious?

The following npm versions of @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons are flagged malicious: 1.0.0. Treat any of these as compromised.

How do I remediate @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons if I installed it?

@rutxploit-sec/waves-icons establishes remote access, so treat any host that installed it as fully compromised. Isolate the machine, remove the package, rotate all credentials it could reach, and rebuild from a trusted image rather than cleaning in place — a backdoor may have planted additional persistence.

I already installed @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons — how do I know if it already compromised me?

If @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons was ever installed, its post-install/runtime payload may have already executed. O3's L7 egress monitoring and runtime eBPF sensors detect the credential exfiltration or command-and-control callback after install and block the malicious outbound channel, so you catch and contain the actual compromise — not just the presence of the package.

Is @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons part of a known attack campaign?

Yes — @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons is associated with the IN-MAL-2026-020684 campaign. Packages in the same campaign often share infrastructure and payloads, so check whether any related packages are also in your dependency tree.

How do I find @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons across my projects, lockfiles, and CI pipelines?

Scan your lockfiles (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, yarn.lock, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, etc.) and build artifacts for @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons (version 1.0.0). O3 Security's supply-chain scanner checks every dependency against known-malicious package intelligence at install time and in CI, flagging @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons across your stack and pipelines.

Malicious package

@rutxploit-sec/waves-iconsnpm

@rutxploit-sec/waves-icons is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-17291) that opens a backdoor for remote access (malicious version 1.0.0). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

Malicious code in @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons (npm)

MAL-2026-17291

Immediate action

Remove the package, then rotate any secrets the build/runtime could reach.

npm uninstall @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons

What this malware does

@rutxploit-sec/waves-icons is a dependency-confusion proof-of-concept squatting the internal scope name @waves/icons. Its package.json declares a preinstall lifecycle hook that runs inline Node code (node -e...) which reads os.hostname() and os.userInfo().username and transmits them via http.get to a hardcoded beacon URL http://127.0.0.1:8099/?pkg=<pkg>&host=<host>&user=<user>. The hook also prints a marker string '[BUGBOUNTY] @waves/icons dep confusion EXECUTED' to confirm execution. The code path runs automatically on npm install on any machine that resolves this squatted scope, collecting installer host identifiers and sending them to an attacker-chosen endpoint. Although the beacon is currently set to loopback (127.0.0.1), it is a hardcoded destination the publisher controls and can trivially be changed or paired with an active listener; the install-time execution, host reconnaissance, and unsolicited outbound HTTP are present as published.

Malicious versions

1 flagged

1.0.0

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

bdeb076eee35958fd0520e7f9cca9d361c47f02cb81c73288609ecdfb60bdbb1

Detection & response playbook

Backdoor / remote access

Find it
Scan your lockfiles (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, yarn.lock, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, etc.) and build artifacts for @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons (version 1.0.0). O3 Security's supply-chain scanner checks every dependency against known-malicious package intelligence at install time and in CI, flagging @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons across your stack and pipelines.
If you installed it — respond
@rutxploit-sec/waves-icons establishes remote access, so treat any host that installed it as fully compromised. Isolate the machine, remove the package, rotate all credentials it could reach, and rebuild from a trusted image rather than cleaning in place — a backdoor may have planted additional persistence.
Did it already run?
If @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons was ever installed, its post-install/runtime payload may have already executed. O3's L7 egress monitoring and runtime eBPF sensors detect the credential exfiltration or command-and-control callback after install and block the malicious outbound channel, so you catch and contain the actual compromise — not just the presence of the package.
How O3 protects you
O3 blocks @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons before install through its supply-chain scanner, and if it has already run, detects and severs the exfiltration or C2 callback at runtime through L7 egress monitoring and eBPF.

Frequently asked questions

No. @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons on npm has been identified as a malicious package (version 1.0.0 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

IN-MAL-2026-020684

References

npmjs.com

Credits

Amazon Inspector · finder

Detect & block this

O3 blocks @rutxploit-sec/waves-icons-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the C2 callback and severs the channel.

Malware detection Runtime egress monitoring

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