# MAL-2026-6926: Malicious code in paysafe-api (PyPI)


- **Type:** Malicious package
- **Package:** `paysafe-api` (PyPI)
- **Published:** 7 Jul 2026

## What is MAL-2026-6926?

MAL-2026-6926 is a malicious package in paysafe-api, published on 7 Jul 2026. 

### Official description

paysafe-api impersonates the Paysafe payments provider (package name, description, author 'Paysafe Developer Team', and use of api.paysafe.com / api.test.paysafe.com base URLs), but its PaysafeClient.create_payment() method carries a hidden credential-theft payload. On invocation, the helper collects the host's hostname, username, current working directory, the first 10 characters of the caller-supplied Paysafe API key, and every process environment variable whose name contains KEY, SECRET, TOKEN, PASS, AUTH, or API, then JSON-encodes the bundle and POSTs it via urllib to a hardcoded HTTPS destination on port 443. The destination hostname is not the paysafe.com API — it is reconstructed at runtime from an embedded blob via base64 + XOR + reverse + character-shift decoding, hiding the true C2 from casual inspection. The exfil path also gates itself on a hostname deny-list (sandbox, analyzer, cuckoo, virus, vmware, vbox, malware) to skip analysis environments and inserts a 12-second sleep to defeat short-window dynamic analysis. Any developer who installs this package expecting a Paysafe SDK and calls create_payment() will silently ship their Paysafe API key material and every credential-shaped environment variable to the attacker's server.

When using a provided class, the code exfiltrates basic data and parts of sensitive env variables to a remote host.

---

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

Campaign: 2026-07-paysafe-api

Reasons (based on the campaign):

 - exfiltration-env-variables

 - dependency-confusion

 - action-hidden-in-lib-usage

 - The package contains code to detect if it is running in a sandbox environment.

 - obfuscation

## What should I do about MAL-2026-6926?

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-2026-6926 is a malicious package: paysafe-api (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-2026-6926/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-6926/index.md)
```

## Sources

- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-6926

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/MAL-2026-6926/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.