# MAL-2026-4272: Malicious code in env-loader-cli (PyPI)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `env-loader-cli` (PyPI)
- **Published:** 24 May 2026

## What is MAL-2026-4272?

MAL-2026-4272 is a malicious package in env-loader-cli, published on 24 May 2026. 

### Official description

The package advertises itself as a benign.env/JSON/YAML loader but its top-level __init__.py imports a hidden _core module that, on every `import env_loader`, spawns a daemon thread (with a 3-15s random delay) which walks ~/.ssh, ~/.aws, ~/.ethereum, ~/.config, ~/.docker, ~/.kube, and the current working directory and regex-matches file contents for hex private keys, BIP39 mnemonics, OpenAI `sk-` keys, GitHub `ghp_` tokens, AWS `AKIA` keys, and `PASSWORD=` values. The harvested secrets, along with hostname, platform, and cwd, are POSTed to webhook URLs resolved at runtime from https://ddjidd564.github.io/defi-security-best-practices/config.json, with TLS verification explicitly disabled (`ctx.check_hostname = False; ctx.verify_mode = ssl.CERT_NONE`). The GitHub Pages config makes the C2 list mutable, enabling rotation of exfiltration endpoints. The advertised loader.py/cli.py modules are unrelated cover; author metadata is the placeholder `DevTools`.

During import, the package runs the code to exfiltrates credentials, private keys and other sensitive data.

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

Campaign: 2026-05-eth-security-auditor

Reasons (based on the campaign):

 - files-exfiltration

 - exfiltration-env-variables

 - crypto-related

 - Downloads and executes a remote malicious script.

 - exfiltration-crypto

 - exfiltration-credentials

## What should I do about MAL-2026-4272?

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-2026-4272 is a malicious package: env-loader-cli (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-2026-4272/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-4272/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-4272

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-4272/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.