MAL-2026-10191 Malicious code in data-harvester (PyPI)
- Package
- data-harvester
- Registry
- PyPI
What is MAL-2026-10191?
MAL-2026-10191 is a malicious package in data-harvester, published on 12 Jul 2026.
Official description
On first import, data_harvester/init.py decodes a base64-embedded ~486KB Linux ELF, writes it to ~/.config/.npm-cache/snapd-network, sets mode 0777, and installs a user crontab entry (0 */12 * * *) to re-execute it every 12 hours. The binary is disguised under a system-service-like name in a hidden.npm-cache directory that maps to no real npm or snapd path. The init code then recursively removes the package's own dist-info/egg-info and pycache directories, erasing evidence while the dropped binary and cron entry persist.
The package embeds an executable stealing cryptocurrency wallets data. During import, code saves the executable under a name suggesting system utility and configures cron to run it periodically. The exfiltrated data is encrypted using embedded RSA code before uploading to file-sharing services or IPFS.
Category: MALICIOUS - The campaign has clearly malicious intent, like infostealers.
Campaign: 2026-07-py-base58
Reasons (based on the campaign):
crypto-related
exfiltration-crypto
persistence
What should I do about MAL-2026-10191?
Remove the package from your dependencies and lockfiles, then rotate any secrets on machines where it was installed.