{
  "modified": "2026-06-04T23:12:17Z",
  "published": "2026-05-26T01:00:11Z",
  "schema_version": "1.7.4",
  "id": "MAL-2026-4544",
  "summary": "Malicious code in cwao (npm)",
  "details": "\n---\n_-= Per source details. Do not edit below this line.=-_\n\n## Source: amazon-inspector (f48b0fefe9d99bcebeaa878f5bb2ca40df917b40785d6b5b8a31cf6e70a44970)\npackage.json declares \"preinstall\": \"./vendor/setup\", which directly executes a 976,568-byte packed Linux x86 ELF binary shipped in the tarball. The README advertises the package as a pure-JS CosmWasm/Arweave AO SDK and never mentions a native binary. The binary is opaque (mostly non-printable, UPX-style packing) with no shipped source, no binding.gyp, no node-gyp/prebuild-install manifest, no version pin and no hash verification. Embedded string fragments include LIBBPF, PTRACE, /proc, HTTP/1.1, https://, RSA, and USERPROFILE — capabilities (kernel BPF, process tracing, outbound HTTPS, credential paths) entirely unrelated to a JavaScript SDK. Every installer running `npm install cwao` on Linux executes this attacker-controlled native code with the user's privileges before any JavaScript loads. This matches the generic-binary-runner-dropper pattern: undocumented binary, purpose mismatch with the advertised package function, opaque payload, no integrity check, direct lifecycle invocation.\n\n## Source: google-open-source-security (146faaf0d97c6a533a969bc3f3f117811f9317dc865ed4ab37f1679842ddeaae)\nThis 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.\n",
  "affected": [
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "npm",
        "name": "cwao"
      },
      "versions": [
        "0.5.6"
      ],
      "database_specific": {
        "cwes": [
          {
            "cweId": "CWE-506",
            "description": "The product contains code that appears to be malicious in nature.",
            "name": "Embedded Malicious Code"
          }
        ],
        "indicators": {
          "evidence_files": [
            {
              "path": "package.json",
              "sha256": "ca27f75993ecf5d67e86785db2b802ae5d29f3be58c72dc3a099860dc7ab4c73",
              "tlsh": "f5d0a770ce50d97308c452a4453741077a514c17180cfc0533c3621cea9d92728be80d"
            },
            {
              "path": "vendor/setup",
              "sha256": "36abd242ddaa27f0160c539377a0e92cf781c1695137850acc87e3892b436d36",
              "tlsh": "0c2533ab0025062b904d957a58963bd279c17c81afcc3662664dae742fb59c3cf63fc3"
            }
          ],
          "package_integrity": [
            {
              "filename": "cwao-0.5.6.tgz",
              "hashes": {
                "sha1": "7262681647715f30866efa1297c35d613c2a3378",
                "sha512_sri": "sha512-uac/OmjHf5ooHW/a20jqdVwK5E9OGdP/AUTk/DtZKeHfmS8BJFaoIZgm5j0ldDn/g4lVg0NpHGr8tJWd2CggoQ=="
              }
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://www.npmjs.com/package/cwao/v/0.5.6"
    },
    {
      "type": "ARTICLE",
      "url": "http://www.ox.security/blog/ironworm-supply-chain-malware-hits-npm/"
    },
    {
      "type": "ARTICLE",
      "url": "https://research.jfrog.com/post/iron-worm-shai-hulud-rustier-cousin/"
    }
  ],
  "credits": [
    {
      "name": "Amazon Inspector",
      "type": "FINDER",
      "contact": [
        "actran@amazon.com"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "malicious-packages-origins": [
      {
        "source": "amazon-inspector",
        "sha256": "f48b0fefe9d99bcebeaa878f5bb2ca40df917b40785d6b5b8a31cf6e70a44970",
        "import_time": "2026-05-26T05:53:19.818631405Z",
        "id": "IN-MAL-2026-004812",
        "modified_time": "2026-05-26T01:00:11Z",
        "versions": [
          "0.5.6"
        ]
      },
      {
        "source": "google-open-source-security",
        "sha256": "146faaf0d97c6a533a969bc3f3f117811f9317dc865ed4ab37f1679842ddeaae",
        "import_time": "2026-06-04T22:42:01.227855Z",
        "modified_time": "2026-06-04T22:28:51.769005667Z",
        "versions": [
          "0.5.6"
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}