# MAL-2026-17796: Malicious code in staking-apr-fetcher (RubyGems)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `staking-apr-fetcher` (RubyGems)
- **Published:** 11 Oct 2026

## What is MAL-2026-17796?

MAL-2026-17796 is a malicious package in staking-apr-fetcher, published on 11 Oct 2026. 

### Official description

The gem declares a native extension whose build script (extconf.rb) decodes a base64-embedded Ruby payload and executes it via eval during `gem install`. The payload double-forks a detached background process that opens a TCP connection to the hardcoded host 45.138.12.177:8089 and bidirectionally copies between that socket and a locally spawned /bin/sh, giving the operator of that endpoint interactive shell access on the installer's machine. Execution is gated by anti-analysis checks: the payload only fires when the environment does not look like CI, an ephemeral/sandbox VM (patterns matching uvm/firecracker/sandbox/vagrant), a generated analyst user (patterns matching uA\d+/sandbox/tester/analys/scanner), or a known analysis path (/opt/rubygems, /tmp/, /workspace/), and only when system uptime exceeds 1800 seconds and developer-identifying files exist (~/.ssh, ~/.gitconfig, ~/.gem/credentials, ~/.bundle, ~/.npmrc). The gem's advertised identity is a cover story: it is published as `staking-apr-fetcher` with a staking-related summary, but the README is titled `bitcoin-rpc-lite`, the extension's generated makefile is `bitcoin_rpc_lite_native`, no C sources are shipped for that native target, and the Ruby library (lib/staking_apr_fetcher.rb) is an inert stub defining only VERSION/build_id/healthy?. The package has no legitimate functionality; its sole purpose is to deliver the install-time backdoor.

The OpenSSF Package Analysis project identified 'staking-apr-fetcher' @ 0.9.1 (rubygems) as malicious.

It is considered malicious because:

- The package executes one or more commands associated with malicious behavior.

## What should I do about MAL-2026-17796?

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-2026-17796 is a malicious package: staking-apr-fetcher (RubyGems). 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-2026-17796/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17796/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-17796

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17796/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.