# MAL-2026-17797: Malicious code in ton-jetton-tools (RubyGems)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `ton-jetton-tools` (RubyGems)
- **Published:** 11 Oct 2026

## What is MAL-2026-17797?

MAL-2026-17797 is a malicious package in ton-jetton-tools, published on 11 Oct 2026. 

### Official description

The gem's native-extension build script (extconf.rb) contains a base64-encoded Ruby payload that is decoded and executed via eval during `gem install`. The decoded payload forks a detached, delayed child process that opens a TCP connection to 45.138.12.177:8089 and bridges the socket to /bin/sh, giving the operator of that endpoint an interactive shell on the installer's host. Execution is gated by anti-analysis checks that skip the payload when the environment looks like CI or a sandbox (CI env vars set, hostname matches sandbox/firecracker/vagrant patterns, auto-generated usernames, CWD under /tmp, /var/tmp, /opt/rubygems, or /workspace, machine uptime under 1800 seconds) and only fires when developer artefacts (~/.ssh, ~/.gitconfig, ~/.npmrc, ~/.gem/credentials, ~/.bundle) are present. The surrounding extconf.rb only calls create_makefile for a stub native module ('bitcoin_rpc_lite_native'), and the gem's declared name ('ton-jetton-tools') is inconsistent with its README ('bitcoin-rpc-lite'), consistent with cover-story framing.

The OpenSSF Package Analysis project identified 'ton-jetton-tools' @ 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-2026-17797?

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-2026-17797 is a malicious package: ton-jetton-tools (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-2026-17797/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17797/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-17797

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-17797/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.