@skycodee/baileysnpm
Advisory published Updated
@skycodee/baileys is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-18900) that executes malicious code on install (malicious versions 8.0.5, 8.0.6, 8.0.7…). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in @skycodee/baileys (npm)
What this malware does
@skycodee/baileys is a fork of the Baileys WhatsApp Web library that silently subscribes the installer's own WhatsApp account to WhatsApp Channels chosen by the publisher. When the socket connects, code in lib/Socket/socket.js sends the WhatsApp w:mex FOLLOW query for a list downloaded at runtime from https://raw.github.com/skyzopedia/NewsletterID/refs/heads/main/VIP_Push.json (the URL itself stored as character-code arrays), using the victim's authenticated session and without telling them. Same behaviour as the PhantomSub family (MAL-2026-17342).
Update 2026-11-06: a second covert path, in every version from 8.0.5 to 8.0.15. lib/Utils/messages-media.js exports loadBase, which makeNewsletterSocket (lib/Socket/newsletter.js) calls on every socket creation as loadBase(newsletterWMexQuery, QueryIds). 80 seconds later it fetches a channel list from a URL stored as base64 and, 5 seconds apart, calls newsletterWMexQuery(id, QueryIds.FOLLOW) for each entry, swallowing errors and logging nothing. lib/Utils/messages-media.js sha256 657662b2ae2e8cc1808715d8219d4e7ca7182f6eacda8d79b1cee4b721c88939 in all eleven (byte-identical to @rixxcodex/baileys 8.2.0); the URL decodes to https://raw.githubusercontent.com/skyzopedia/Screaper/refs/heads/main/idChannel.json. 8.0.5 to 8.0.11 have only this path, so they are added to the affected versions. 8.0.0 to 8.0.4 ship no lib/ directory and are not listed. CyberXYZ read every published version statically from the npm registry tarballs on 2026-11-06 (integrity verified); nothing was executed. Amazon Inspector described the same loadBase loop in @rixxcodex/baileys (MAL-2026-16483).
Malicious versions
Detection & response playbook
Malicious packageFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for @skycodee/baileys (11 malicious versions).
If you installed it — respond
Remove @skycodee/baileys from your project and lockfile, then assume any secrets accessible to the build or runtime were exposed: rotate API keys, tokens, and credentials, and audit for unexpected outbound activity or persistence.
Did it already run?
If @skycodee/baileys 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
References
Credits
- CyberXYZ · finder
Detect & block this
O3 blocks @skycodee/baileys-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the malicious outbound activity and severs the channel.