# MAL-2026-13488: Malicious code in idnna (PyPI)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `idnna` (PyPI)
- **Published:** 7 Aug 2026

## What is MAL-2026-13488?

MAL-2026-13488 is a malicious package in idnna, published on 7 Aug 2026. 

### Official description

The package publishes under a name that closely resembles the widely-used `idna` package and advertises itself as 'HTTP client utilities', but the only importable module is `djangoo` containing a trivial `hello()` function. setup.py registers a custom `install` cmdclass (`LinuxInstall`) whose post-install step base64-decodes a hidden Python payload stored in `_HOOK_B64` and executes it via `exec(compile(...))`. On Linux, the decoded payload uses `urlretrieve` to download an opaque binary named `something` from https://github.com/totti2188/8gp1Q7iZD3h4VW/releases/download/v1.3A/something — an unrelated personal GitHub account whose repository has no connection to the package's stated purpose — chmods it to 0o755, and spawns it detached via `Popen`. The download destination is not publisher-matched, the fetched artifact is unpinned by hash, and the payload is obfuscated to evade casual review. This fires automatically on `pip install` of the sdist.

Package imitates name of a popula library. During installation, obfuscated code downloads a malicious executable and starts it. It then exfiltrates at least cryptocurrency wallet data, probably more.

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

Campaign: 2026-08-flasq

Reasons (based on the campaign):

 - typosquatting

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

 - exfiltration-generic

 - Downloads and executes a remote executable.

 - obfuscation

 - exfiltration-crypto

## What should I do about MAL-2026-13488?

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-2026-13488 is a malicious package: idnna (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-2026-13488/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-13488/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-13488

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-13488/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.