MalwarePublished 16 Jul 2026Updated 28 Jul 2026

airflow-provider-spirit (PyPI) · Malicious Code

Affects airflow-provider-spiritSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove airflow-provider-spirit and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 16:07 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to PyPI · OSV MAL-2026-10754

What to do

Remove airflow-provider-spirit from every project, lockfile and image that pulls it in. Treat any host that installed it as compromised: rotate the credentials, tokens and keys it could read, from a clean machine.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
PyPIairflow-provider-spirit	Affected =0.0.1 =8.5.3 =8.5.4	Fixed in–

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

Description

The airflow-provider-spirit package on PyPI is a malicious package masquerading as an Airflow provider. It contains minimal legitimate functionality but installs a persistent telemetry mechanism that auto-loads on every Python interpreter start. This mechanism collects system information and uses DNS TXT records from attacker-controlled domains to dynamically resolve and download a remote executable, which it then runs and deletes. The package uses a .pth file for persistence and attempts to evade detection by using DNS-based covert channels and multiple fallback download methods. Versions 0.0.1, 8.5.3, and 8.5.4 are affected.

Impact

This malicious package enables persistent execution on infected systems by auto-loading on every Python interpreter start. It collects and exfiltrates system information and can download and execute arbitrary remote binaries, potentially leading to further compromise. The use of DNS TXT records for command and control and payload delivery allows it to evade traditional network blocklists. The package also overrides the installation process to execute malicious code, increasing infection risk. Overall, it poses a significant threat to confidentiality and system integrity.

Defensive guidance

The best mitigation is to avoid installing airflow-provider-spirit from PyPI and remove it if present. Since the package uses a .pth file for persistence, manual removal of the package and any related .pth files from site-packages is necessary. Monitor for and block DNS queries to suspicious domains such as those under dl.well1.site and Cloudflare Workers used by this package. There are undocumented environment variables (DISABLE_TELEMETRY / ANALYTICS_OPT_OUT) that may disable telemetry, but these are not publicly documented and may not fully mitigate the threat. Check vendor or PyPI advisories for updates.

References

Community reviews

Loading reviews…

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 20 Jul 2026, 19:53 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews