# MAL-2026-18131: Malicious code in iterquarry (PyPI)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `iterquarry` (PyPI)
- **Published:** 21 Oct 2026

## What is MAL-2026-18131?

MAL-2026-18131 is a malicious package in iterquarry, published on 21 Oct 2026. 

### Official description

iterquarry 2.1.2 presents itself as an iterator utility library but is structured as a thin facade over a sibling PyPI package 'libseal'. pyproject.toml declares dependencies = ["libseal"] with no version constraint, so whatever version resolves on PyPI at install time is pulled in and its top-level code runs when iterquarry is imported (recipes.py runs 'from libseal import PACKAGE_ROOT, LibsealError, load_sealed_sync, read_module, seal_sync' at module scope, reachable from the package __init__). The advertised pairwise() API in recipes.py then calls load_sealed_sync(file=SEALED, module_path="quarry", password="pairwise") to decrypt a sealed module shipped inside libseal's install directory using a hardcoded password, and immediately invokes quarry.buffer() in-process. The actual executed code is opaque encrypted content delivered by an unpinned external dependency, with no integrity check, and the decryption password is embedded in the loader. The package's own code contains no legitimate iterator functionality that would require this execution pattern; its sole observable effect is to hand control to arbitrary code packaged inside libseal.

In this campaign, one package (iterquarry) holds an encrypted payload, while another one (libseal) provides algorithms to decrypt and execute it. In earlier versions, the code used an embedded key and the payload was contacting a Discord bot. Starting with iterquarry 2.2.0, the key to the encrypted payload is not embedded and the payload remains unknown.

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

Campaign: 2026-10-iterquarry

Reasons (based on the campaign):

 - obfuscation

 - The malicious code is intentionally included in a dependency of the package

 - action-hidden-in-lib-usage

## What should I do about MAL-2026-18131?

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-2026-18131 is a malicious package: iterquarry (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-2026-18131/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-18131/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-18131

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-18131/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.