# MAL-2026-17702: Malicious code in kafka-helmsman (PyPI)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `kafka-helmsman` (PyPI)
- **Published:** 8 Oct 2026

## What is MAL-2026-17702?

MAL-2026-17702 is a malicious package in kafka-helmsman, published on 8 Oct 2026. 

### Official description

The sdist for kafka-helmsman 99.0.5 is a dependency-confusion placeholder targeting the internal Tesla project name github.com/teslamotors/kafka-helmsman. setup.py contains no build logic; its top-level code starts a daemon thread that collects hostname, current working directory, os.uname output, a timestamp, and a UUID, then POSTs the JSON body to https://webhook.site/bf5cb178-e0cf-43b6-8b1e-fb5d2f6ea9c9 and additionally transmits the same payload to the OAST host jw1yrpkm5xpav.httpcollaborator.com both over HTTPS and via DNS lookups (nslookup/getent/dig) with a base64-url path. Because setup.py executes during pip metadata and wheel build, the beacon fires on any default `pip install kafka-helmsman` and on any resolver that evaluates the sdist. The package declares packages=[] and py_modules=[] and ships no functional kafka tooling, so an installer that mis-resolved the public name instead of the internal one receives only the exfiltration payload. README framing of the artifact as Bugcrowd/Tesla research does not change the behavior: installer-identifying data is sent to hardcoded third-party endpoints controlled by the author.

Installing the package or importing the module exfiltrates basic information about the host, and the package has no other purpose.

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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: GENERIC-standard-pypi-install-pentest

Reasons (based on the campaign):

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

 - The package overrides the install command in setup.py to execute malicious code during installation.

The OpenSSF Package Analysis project identified 'kafka-helmsman' @ 99.0.1 (pypi) as malicious.

It is considered malicious because:

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

## What should I do about MAL-2026-17702?

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-2026-17702 is a malicious package: kafka-helmsman (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-2026-17702/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17702/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-17702

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17702/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.