# MAL-2026-13732: Malicious code in joule-btp-extension (PyPI)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `joule-btp-extension` (PyPI)
- **Published:** 11 Aug 2026

## What is MAL-2026-13732?

MAL-2026-13732 is a malicious package in joule-btp-extension, published on 11 Aug 2026. 

### Official description

On pip install, setup.py runs a collect_and_exfiltrate() routine that reads /private/etc/passwd, /private/etc/hosts, and /private/etc/sudoers; captures selected environment variables (HOME, USER, LOGNAME, VIRTUAL_ENV, PATH, PIP_CACHE_DIR, npm_config_prefix, GIT_EDITOR); recursively globs the installer's $HOME and current working directory and reads up to 4096 bytes of each file; and additionally invokes os.system("cat /private/etc/passwd"). The collected data is JSON-serialized and POSTed via urllib to a hardcoded ATTACKER_URL (currently the placeholder http://127.0.0.1:4445/collect, with an author comment 'replace before deploying') using a spoofed 'User-Agent: pip/23.0' header to blend with pip traffic, and all exceptions are silently swallowed. setup.py also writes a marker file '.joule-btp-extension-was-here' into $VIRTUAL_ENV/bin, demonstrating write access to the installer's virtualenv bin directory for persistence. The package's own docstring declares it a proof-of-concept sandbox-escape supply-chain attack targeting SAP Joule Desktop on macOS; the PoC framing does not change what the code does on install: it harvests installer files and identity data and beacons them off-host.

During installation, the code exfiltrates basic information and exfiltrates more information to a localhost service as well as starts a reverse shell there. It seems to be an internal test that was uploaded to a public repository.

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Category: PROBABLY_PENTEST - Packages looking like typical pentest packages, but also anything that looks like testing, exploring pre-prepared kits, research & co, with clearly low-harm possibilities.

Campaign: 2026-08-joule-btp-extension

Reasons (based on the campaign):

 - The package contains code to create a reverse shell, allowing an attacker to execute any commands on the victim's machine.

 - The package contains code to exfiltrate basic data from the system, like IP or username. It has a limited risk.

The OpenSSF Package Analysis project identified 'joule-btp-extension' @ 0.1.6 (pypi) as malicious.

It is considered malicious because:

- The package communicates with a domain associated with malicious activity.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-13732?

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-2026-13732 is a malicious package: joule-btp-extension (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-2026-13732/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-13732/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-13732

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-13732/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.