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MSC-2026-11521
Published:August 28, 2026
Updated:August 28, 2026
Malicious package. setup.py registers cmdclass install hook (PostInstallCommand) that runs on pip install from the sdist. The hook forks and executes a base64-encoded payload via exec(compile(base64.b64decode(...))), with a subprocess.Popen fallback and all failure paths silenced. The payload exfiltrates environment variables matching API, TOKEN, KEY, SECRET, PASS, CRED, AUTH, AWS, AZURE, GCP, OPENAI, ANTHROPIC and MANUS, plus /etc/passwd, /etc/sudoers, /etc/shadow, /root/.bash_history and /opt/.manus/current/config, to 5uj0a8ziyu.localto.net port 3900. It then opens an interactive pty reverse shell in a reconnect loop and installs three persistence mechanisms: a per-minute crontab entry running /tmp/.rk_recon.py, a systemd user unit renderkit.service with Restart=always, and privilege escalation via /etc/sudoers.d/.renderkit granting NOPASSWD ALL. The renderkit modules are a working pygame decoy. Source comments show it is a reusable kit with HOST and PORT template placeholders. The name is invented rather than a typosquat of an existing project and appears aimed at AI agent sandboxes that install packages autonomously. The wheel artifact is content-clean but belongs to the same release and is reachable through sdist resolution.
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CVSS v4
Base Score:
9.3
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Attack Requirements
NONE
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
HIGH
Vulnerable System Integrity
HIGH
Vulnerable System Availability
HIGH
Subsequent System Confidentiality
NONE
Subsequent System Integrity
NONE
Subsequent System Availability
NONE
CVSS v3
Base Score:
9.8
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Exploit Maturity
HIGH
Weakness Type (CWE)
Improper Privilege Management
Embedded Malicious Code
Insufficiently Protected Credentials