MalwarePublished 5 Aug 2026

bigops-watermark (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects bigops-watermarkSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove bigops-watermark and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 6 Aug 2026, 19:33 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-12857

What to do

Remove bigops-watermark from every project, lockfile and image that pulls it in. Treat any host that installed it as compromised: rotate the credentials, tokens and keys it could read, from a clean machine.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
npmbigops-watermark	Affected =35.9.5	Fixed in–

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Description

The bigops-watermark npm package version 35.9.5 contains malicious code that, upon being required, downloads and executes a binary payload from obfuscated external hosts without user consent or verification. This payload is saved to temporary directories with disguised filenames, given executable permissions, and run detached from the main process. The package also includes a duplicate dropper in a large telemetry.js file, which is not currently reachable but contains the same malicious functionality. Any system with this package installed should be considered fully compromised, and all secrets and keys stored on it must be rotated immediately.

Impact

Systems with this package installed or running are fully compromised, as the malicious payload executes with the ability to run arbitrary code. This compromises all secrets and keys stored on the system, necessitating immediate rotation from a clean environment. Removal of the package alone does not guarantee eradication of the malicious software or attacker persistence.

Defensive guidance

Remove the bigops-watermark package version 35.9.5 immediately from all affected systems. Rotate all secrets, keys, and credentials that were stored or used on the compromised systems from a separate, trusted environment. Conduct a thorough investigation and remediation of the affected systems, as the malicious payload may have established persistence beyond the package itself. Patch status is not applicable as this is a malicious package rather than a vulnerability with an official fix.

Summary

The bigops-watermark npm package (version 35.9.5) includes malicious code that triggers on module load. It fetches an opaque binary payload from multiple obfuscated and string-assembled external domains, writes it to temporary storage with disguised names, sets executable permissions, and spawns it detached via shell commands. No integrity checks such as hash or signature verification are performed. The package uses string fragment concatenation to evade static analysis and employs environment variable names as camouflage. Additionally, a duplicate dropper implementation exists in lib/telemetry.js, mirroring the active payload but currently unreachable from the main import path. This behavior effectively grants full control of the compromised system to an external attacker.

References

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 6 Aug 2026, 19:33 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews