MAL-2025-73 Malicious code in utf-cleaner (PyPI)

During import, the package silently downloads and executes remote code. This code starts a web server in the separate process and listens for commands to execute from a C2 server, as well as periodically sends a beacon to C2 allowing discovery and finishing execution.

This package is closely related to Github repository https://github.com/xcummins/tg-outline-seller/ from the same author, where it's used as dependency effectively compromising its users.

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

Campaign: 2026-03-old-utf-cleaner

Reasons (based on the campaign):

• Downloads and executes a remote malicious script.

• The package contains code to execute remote commands (probably limited to a specific set) on the victim's machine.

The OpenSSF Package Analysis project identified 'utf-cleaner' @ 3.4.1 (pypi) as malicious.

It is considered malicious because:

• The package executes one or more commands associated with malicious behavior.