# MAL-2026-16099: Malicious code in bq-sdist-probe-vrp (PyPI)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `bq-sdist-probe-vrp` (PyPI)
- **Published:** 9 Sep 2026

## What is MAL-2026-16099?

MAL-2026-16099 is a malicious package in bq-sdist-probe-vrp, published on 9 Sep 2026. 

### Official description

setup.py executes at pip install time and performs installer-side credential and host reconnaissance. It queries the GCE/GCP metadata service at http://metadata.google.internal/computeMetadata/v1/instance/service-accounts/default/token with the Metadata-Flavor: Google header to obtain the default service account's OAuth access token, service account email, and project id. It also filters os.environ for keys containing token, secret, key, pass, auth, google, project, docker, kube, or metadata substrings, and collects hostname, uid/gid/pid, the output of the id command, os.uname(), /proc/version, os.listdir('/'), and checks for /var/run/docker.sock. It performs an outbound TCP connect to 8.8.8.8:53 to test network reachability. The collected data is persisted to a JSON file inside the installed package directory. Naming (bq-sdist-probe-vrp) and behavior are consistent with a probe that harvests installer-owned cloud credentials in CI/build environments.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-16099?

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-2026-16099 is a malicious package: bq-sdist-probe-vrp (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-2026-16099/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-16099/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-16099

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-16099/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.