# MAL-2026-17753: Malicious code in media-manager5 (PyPI)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `media-manager5` (PyPI)
- **Published:** 10 Oct 2026

## What is MAL-2026-17753?

MAL-2026-17753 is a malicious package in media-manager5, published on 10 Oct 2026. 

### Official description

The package advertises itself as a 'silent per-user wallpaper rotator for Windows' but ships wallpaper.py, a command-and-control client that connects to the hardcoded endpoint https://googleforum.pythonanywhere.com. On construction of MediaManager5(), the package writes a runner script to %LOCALAPPDATA%\MediaManager5\runner.py and registers a Windows Scheduled Task named 'MediaManager5' with /SC ONLOGON, so the agent is executed via pythonw at every user logon and re-invokes wallpaper.py on a 10-minute loop. The agent registers the host as username@hostname against /api/register and polls /api/client/<id>/poll for commands dispatched through a COMMAND_HANDLERS table that includes an 'exec' handler running arbitrary shell commands via subprocess.run(command, shell=True), plus list/upload/download/delete/rename handlers over arbitrary filesystem paths; handle_download base64-encodes file contents and returns them to the server via /api/client/<id>/result. The wallpaper framing in the package name, README, and docstrings does not match the shipped payload.

The package installs a persistent job that allows the attacker for exfiltrating files and executing remote code on the victim's machine.

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

Campaign: 2026-10-agentaix

Reasons (based on the campaign):

 - files-exfiltration

 - peristence-autorun

 - The package contains code to execute remote commands (probably limited to a specific set) on the victim's machine.

 - rat

 - persistence

 - Downloads and executes a remote malicious script.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-17753?

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-2026-17753 is a malicious package: media-manager5 (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-2026-17753/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17753/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-17753

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17753/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.