# MAL-2025-191833: Malicious code in pydefender (PyPI)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `pydefender` (PyPI)
- **Published:** 1 Mar 2025

## What is MAL-2025-191833?

MAL-2025-191833 is a malicious package in pydefender, published on 1 Mar 2025. 

### Official description

setup.py is prepared to download and run an obfuscated batch script. While the script is not detected by any AV currently, in the sandbox analysis it reveals behaviour like adding exclusions to Windows Defender

---

Category: MALICIOUS - The campaign has clearly malicious intent, like infostealers.

Campaign: 2025-02-pydefender

Reasons (based on the campaign):

 - Downloads and executes a remote malicious script.

 - malware

 - The package overrides the install command in setup.py to execute malicious code during installation.

## What should I do about MAL-2025-191833?

Remove the package from your dependencies and lockfiles, then rotate any secrets on machines where it was installed.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
MAL-2025-191833 is a malicious package: pydefender (PyPI). Every version was published to cause harm.

Task:
1. Search this repository's dependency manifests and lockfiles for the package, including transitive dependencies.
2. If it is present, remove it, regenerate the lockfile with the project's package manager, and replace whatever it was used for.
3. List any CI runners, developer machines or containers that installed it, so their secrets can be rotated.
4. If the package is not used anywhere, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2025-191833/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2025-191833/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2025-191833

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2025-191833/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.