# MAL-2026-17188: Malicious code in sherpy (PyPI)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `sherpy` (PyPI)
- **Published:** 25 Sep 2026

## What is MAL-2026-17188?

MAL-2026-17188 is a malicious package in sherpy, published on 25 Sep 2026. 

### Official description

The `sherpy` package presents itself as an OSINT command-line tool but ships all of its logic inside a 10.8 MB precompiled PyO3 native module at `sherpy/_core.abi3.so`. The Python surface is a trivial shim: `sherpy/__init__.py` is empty and `sherpy/cli.py` only forwards to three entry points in the native module — `osi()`, `send_tg_ar()`, and `send_tg_trt()`. The compiled crate manifest links `teloxide` (Telegram Bot API client), `reqwest`/`hyper` (HTTP), `dirs` (home-directory locators), `walkdir` (recursive filesystem enumeration), `zip` (archiving), and wallet-relevant cryptographic crates `aes`, `chacha20`, `bs58`, and `pbkdf2`, plus `windows-sys` for Windows host access. The `send_tg_*` naming combined with this dependency set matches a Telegram-bot exfiltration stealer: enumerate the user's home directory, collect wallet keystores and credential files, package them, and upload to an attacker-controlled Telegram bot whose token and chat ID are hardcoded inside the opaque binary. Running the advertised CLI therefore causes the installer's wallet and credential material to be exfiltrated to the author's Telegram endpoint. The behavior is hidden inside a compiled native module with no source shipped, defeating text-based source review.

When used, the package exfiltrates Chrome extension files (likely targeting cryptocurrency wallets) and sensitive Telegram files.

---

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

Campaign: 2026-09-sherpy

Reasons (based on the campaign):

 - infostealer

 - exfiltration-crypto

 - target:telegram

 - native-extension

## What should I do about MAL-2026-17188?

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-2026-17188 is a malicious package: sherpy (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-2026-17188/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17188/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-17188

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17188/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.