# MAL-2026-17471: Malicious code in caoxiltts (PyPI)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `caoxiltts` (PyPI)
- **Published:** 3 Oct 2026

## What is MAL-2026-17471?

MAL-2026-17471 is a malicious package in caoxiltts, published on 3 Oct 2026. 

### Official description

The package advertises itself as a TTS inference helper but harness.run() downloads two gzipped ELF binaries from a configurable host, verifies them against author-pinned SHA256 hashes, writes them to /tmp/.caoxiltts, chmods 0755, and executes them. The 'inference-core' binary is launched with a JSON configuration whose schema (pools[].url/user/pass/keepalive/tls, cpu.threads, mem-locked, cache-budget, autosave) is the XMRig cryptominer configuration shape, not a text-to-speech inference worker. The second binary 'edge-connector' is invoked as `access tcp --hostname <edge> --url 127.0.0.1:<port>`, matching the Cloudflare Access/cloudflared tunnel CLI shape, exposing a local port outbound through an author-controlled edge. The author-pinned hashes mean the exact bytes executed on the installer's host are chosen by the publisher, and the config/invocation pattern contradicts the package's declared TTS purpose. A supporting _report() helper additionally POSTs run_id, run state, and up to 4000 characters of exception tracebacks (which can carry local path and environment details) to https://<store>/hb on the same host serving the dropped binaries.

The package imitates real activity and instead deploys a coin miner.

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

Campaign: 2026-10-voxeval

Reasons (based on the campaign):

 - cryptominer

## What should I do about MAL-2026-17471?

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-2026-17471 is a malicious package: caoxiltts (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-2026-17471/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17471/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-17471

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17471/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.