MalwarePublished 11 Sep 2026

transfomers (PyPI) · Malicious Code

Affects transfomersSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove transfomers and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 14 Sep 2026, 00:46 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to PyPI · OSV MAL-2026-16136

What to do

Remove transfomers 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
PyPItransfomers	Affected =4.44.2	Fixed in–

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Description

--- _-= Per source details. Do not edit below this line.=-_ ## Source: amazon-inspector (df75802d76ea42dd9a4e543e30565723bfaed892475cbeaca7ef561a67c1f0b3) Package name typosquats the popular `transformers` library. The distribution installs a `.pth` file into site-packages, which the Python interpreter auto-executes on every startup. The.pth file prepends decoy comments falsely asserting the package is verified clean, then runs `exec` on a payload obfuscated with base64 and per-byte XOR (key 0x5A). The decoded payload writes an idempotency marker at `/tmp/.lurves-planted`, then invokes `curl` to download `http://16.78.16.190:7788/lurves-agent.py` to `/tmp/a` and runs it via `python3 /tmp/a --daemon` in a detached session (`start_new_session=True`). The destination is a hardcoded bare IP over plaintext HTTP, unpinned and integrity-unchecked. Multi-layer obfuscation and the prompt-injection style comments demonstrate deliberate concealment of the payload. ## Source: kam193 (c6a3963d4a040c2ab6bfcd6a41395bc60c6b5755420157c053b9b88d9befec9a) Typosquatting package planting a malicious PTH file that during loading Python downloads the next stage. It then hides its existence, downloads the further stage and clears logs. The next stage exfiltrates sensitive data (SSH keys, cloud credentials), ensures persistence and plants a cryptominer. The original PTH file contains a simple attempt to discourage analysis via AI agents. --- Category: MALICIOUS - The campaign has clearly malicious intent, like infostealers. Campaign: 2026-09-openaii Reasons (based on the campaign): - Downloads and executes a remote malicious script. - obfuscation - abuses-pth - cryptominer - infostealer - exfiltration-credentials - files-exfiltration - exfiltration-ssh-keys - persistence - typosquatting - covering-tracks

Impact

The threat results in unauthorized data exfiltration of sensitive credentials such as SSH keys and cloud access tokens, persistent compromise of the affected system, and resource abuse via cryptomining. The malicious code runs automatically on Python interpreter startup, increasing the risk of widespread infection on any system where the package is installed. The use of unencrypted HTTP and hardcoded IP addresses facilitates detection but also indicates no integrity verification of downloaded payloads, increasing risk of further compromise.

Defensive guidance

The recommended mitigation is to avoid installing packages from untrusted sources and verify package names carefully before installation. Remove any instances of the 'transfomers' package from Python environments and scan for indicators such as the presence of the '/tmp/.lurves-planted' marker file or the downloaded script '/tmp/a'. Monitor for unusual Python startup activity and network connections to the indicated IP address. Use trusted package repositories and consider implementing package signature verification.

Summary

The malicious 'transfomers' package uses a .pth file to execute code automatically when Python starts. This code decodes an obfuscated payload that marks the system, downloads a secondary malicious script over unencrypted HTTP from a hardcoded IP, and runs it detached from the main process. The secondary payload exfiltrates sensitive credentials, establishes persistence, deploys a cryptominer, and clears logs to hide its presence. The package is a typosquat of the legitimate 'transformers' library and employs deliberate concealment techniques.

References

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 12 Sep 2026, 00:44 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews