MAL-2026-16268 Malicious code in index-forum (PyPI)
Malicious package
Published
MAL-2026-16268 is a malicious package: index-forum (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-2026-16268/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-16268/index.md)
- Package
- index-forum
- Registry
- PyPI
What is MAL-2026-16268?
MAL-2026-16268 is a malicious package in index-forum, published on 17 Sep 2026.
Official description
The package was found to contain malicious code or consuming dependency that contains malicious code
The package hides code to exfiltrate specific files from the user's machine. The used file paths suggest it was intended to be used in a CTF-like environment.
Category: MALICIOUS - The campaign has clearly malicious intent, like infostealers.
Campaign: 2026-09-pyjstat-smooth
Reasons (based on the campaign):
files-exfiltration
obfuscation
targetted-attack
clones-real-package
What should I do about MAL-2026-16268?
Remove the package from your dependencies and lockfiles, then rotate any secrets on machines where it was installed.