# [CRIT] [GHSA / CRITICAL] CVE-2026-48063: Baileys has message upsert / hist sync spoofing and app state corruption when using maliciously crafted protocolMessage payload

**Source:** GitHub Security Advisories
**Published:** 2026-06-10
**Article:** https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-qvv5-jq5g-4cgg

## Threat Profile

Baileys has message upsert / hist sync spoofing and app state corruption when using maliciously crafted protocolMessage payload

### Impact
Any baileys session under the latest version (< 7.0.0-rc12, and < 6.7.22) can be sent a malicious payload via the placeholderResendMessage and trigger a fake `messages.upsert` event with a **fake message key and payload**. This allows anyone to spoof messages. The same exploit also allows an attacker to corrupt the app state sync system by sending fake key s…

## Indicators of Compromise (high-fidelity only)

- **CVE:** `CVE-2026-48063`

## MITRE ATT&CK Techniques

- **T1190** — Exploit Public-Facing Application
- **T1195.001** — Compromise Software Dependencies and Development Tools
- **T1565.001** — Stored Data Manipulation
- **T1566** — Phishing
- **T1059.007** — Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript

## Kill chain phases observed

_(none detected from narrative keywords)_

## Recommended hunts

### Vulnerable Baileys npm package present on disk (CVE-2026-48063)

`UC_57_1` · phase: **weapon** · confidence: **Medium** · AI-generated for this article

**Splunk SPL (CIM):**
```spl
| tstats `summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Filesystem where Filesystem.file_name="package.json" (Filesystem.file_path="*\\node_modules\\baileys\\*" OR Filesystem.file_path="*\\node_modules\\@whiskeysockets\\baileys\\*" OR Filesystem.file_path="*/node_modules/baileys/*" OR Filesystem.file_path="*/node_modules/@whiskeysockets/baileys/*") by Filesystem.dest Filesystem.file_path Filesystem.process_name | `drop_dm_object_name(Filesystem)` | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
```

**Defender KQL:**
```kql
// CVE-2026-48063 — Baileys vulnerable package on-disk inventory
DeviceFileEvents
| where Timestamp > ago(30d)
| where ActionType in ("FileCreated", "FileModified", "FileRenamed")
| where FileName =~ "package.json"
| where FolderPath has @"\node_modules\baileys\"
    or FolderPath has @"\node_modules\@whiskeysockets\baileys\"
    or FolderPath has "/node_modules/baileys/"
    or FolderPath has "/node_modules/@whiskeysockets/baileys/"
| summarize FirstSeen = min(Timestamp), LastSeen = max(Timestamp),
            Installers = make_set(InitiatingProcessFileName, 10),
            InstallCmds = make_set(InitiatingProcessCommandLine, 5)
            by DeviceName, FolderPath
| order by FirstSeen asc
```

### npm/yarn/pnpm install or upgrade of Baileys package

`UC_57_2` · phase: **install** · confidence: **Medium** · AI-generated for this article

**Splunk SPL (CIM):**
```spl
| tstats `summariesonly` count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime from datamodel=Endpoint.Processes where (Processes.process_name IN ("npm.exe","yarn.exe","pnpm.exe","node.exe","npm","yarn","pnpm","node","npm-cli.js")) AND (Processes.process="*baileys*" OR Processes.process="*@whiskeysockets/baileys*") AND (Processes.process="*install*" OR Processes.process="* add *" OR Processes.process="* i *" OR Processes.process="*update*" OR Processes.process="*upgrade*") by Processes.dest Processes.user Processes.process Processes.parent_process_name Processes.process_name | `drop_dm_object_name(Processes)` | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
```

**Defender KQL:**
```kql
// CVE-2026-48063 — Baileys npm install / upgrade hunt
DeviceProcessEvents
| where Timestamp > ago(30d)
| where FileName in~ ("npm.exe","yarn.exe","pnpm.exe","node.exe","npm","yarn","pnpm","node")
    or InitiatingProcessFileName in~ ("npm.exe","yarn.exe","pnpm.exe","node.exe","npm","yarn","pnpm","node")
| where ProcessCommandLine has "baileys"
    or InitiatingProcessCommandLine has "baileys"
| where ProcessCommandLine has_any ("install"," add "," i ","update","upgrade")
    or InitiatingProcessCommandLine has_any ("install"," add "," i ","update","upgrade")
| project Timestamp, DeviceName, AccountName,
          FileName, ProcessCommandLine,
          InitiatingProcessFileName, InitiatingProcessCommandLine,
          InitiatingProcessParentFileName
| order by Timestamp desc
```

### Baileys messages.upsert event carrying a requestId field (exploit signature)

`UC_57_3` · phase: **actions** · confidence: **High** · AI-generated for this article

**Splunk SPL (CIM):**
```spl
index=* (sourcetype IN ("nodejs","node","pm2","syslog","linux:journald","linux_secure") OR source IN ("*baileys*","*whatsapp*")) ("messages.upsert" AND "requestId") AND ("placeholderResendMessage" OR "protocolMessage" OR "messages.upsert") | stats count min(_time) as firstTime max(_time) as lastTime values(host) as hosts values(source) as sources by sourcetype | `security_content_ctime(firstTime)` | `security_content_ctime(lastTime)`
```

### IOC-driven hunts (use shared templates)

These are standard IOC-substitution hunts — the canonical SPL and KQL live once in [`_TEMPLATES.md`](../_TEMPLATES.md), so we don't repeat the same boilerplate on every CVE / hash / network-IOC briefing.

- **Asset exposure — vulnerability matches article CVE(s)** ([template](../_TEMPLATES.md#asset-exposure)) — phase: **recon**, confidence: **High**
  - CVE(s): `CVE-2026-48063`


## Why this matters

Severity classified as **CRIT** based on: CVE present, 4 use case(s) fired, 5 technique(s) inferred. Read the full article for actor attribution, tooling details, and any defanged IOCs in the body that aren't visible in the RSS summary.