MAL-2026-18218 Malicious code in qowa (PyPI)

src/qowa/init.py contains calls to socket.gethostname() at lines 30, 52, and 247 together with hardcoded Telegram Bot API endpoints (api.telegram.org/bot<token>/…) at lines 117 and 135. The code reads installer host identity and transmits it to an attacker-controlled Telegram bot channel, a known pattern for host-reconnaissance exfiltration using Telegram as a C2/collector. The embedded bot token encodes the destination chat under the operator's control, so installing or importing this package leaks the installer's hostname (and any other collected context) off-host to a third party. The package has no documented purpose that would legitimize Telegram-bot delivery of hostname data.

The package provides a C2 server and agent with pre-filed credentials, disguised as a generic utility.

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

Campaign: 2026-10-qowa

Reasons (based on the campaign):

• rat

• spyware-like

• target:android

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

• uses-telegram-bot

• files-exfiltration