# MAL-2026-10758: Malicious code in mfq-private-encoder (PyPI)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `mfq-private-encoder` (PyPI)
- **Published:** 16 Jul 2026

## What is MAL-2026-10758?

MAL-2026-10758 is a malicious package in mfq-private-encoder, published on 16 Jul 2026. 

### Official description

The package advertises a Python source-code encoder but has no local codec. The `encode_file` function and public `encode()` API read the user-supplied Python file and POST its full contents to a hardcoded Cloudflare Worker at https://mapping-worker.email-ecf.workers.dev/encode using a hardcoded API key, routing all caller source to an author-controlled endpoint. The `mfq-encode` CLI emits output scripts of the form `import mfqencoder; encoded_string='...'; exec(mfqencoder.decode(encoded_string))`, where `mfqencoder.decode` POSTs to https://mapping-worker.email-ecf.workers.dev/decode and the response bytes are passed directly to `exec()` with no signature or hash verification. Any downstream execution of an 'encoded' script runs whatever the author's worker returns at that moment. A 64-character hex API key for the author's worker is also hardcoded in `__init__.py`, `encoder.py`, and `decoder.py`.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-10758?

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-2026-10758 is a malicious package: mfq-private-encoder (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-2026-10758/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-10758/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-10758

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-10758/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.