Malicious code in adpaypal (PyPI)
The adpaypal package on PyPI contained malicious code executing spyware and information-stealing malware. It was part of a campaign by EsqueleSquad group that published nearly 6,000 malicious PyPI and NPM packages.
- Disclosed
- Last updated
- Blast radius
- Unknown; part of large-scale malicious package campaign
- Ecosystems
- Attack vectors
- Threat actor
- Affected entities
- adpaypalMalicious PyPI package containing spyware and information-stealing malware
The adpaypal package published on PyPI was identified as containing malicious code designed to execute spyware and information-stealing malware on affected systems. This package was part of a large-scale coordinated campaign by the EsqueleSquad group.\n\nThe EsqueleSquad group published nearly 6,000 malicious packages across PyPI and NPM ecosystems as part of this campaign. The malicious adpaypal package was identified and documented by the OpenSSF (Open Source Security Foundation) in their malicious-packages repository.\n\nThe incident has been documented in the OpenSSF's malicious packages database with reference MAL-2023-2493, indicating the malware was discovered and cataloged in 2023.
Indicators of compromise
- Packages
- adpaypal
Remediation
- Remove adpaypal package from all environments
- Audit systems that installed adpaypal for signs of compromise (spyware, data exfiltration)
- Review network logs for suspicious outbound connections from affected systems
- Regenerate any credentials or sensitive data that may have been exposed
- Monitor for information disclosure or unauthorized access related to systems that ran adpaypal
- Check OpenSSF malicious-packages repository for complete list of affected packages in this campaign
Sources
- GitHub Advisory GHSA-wj8m-pv2j-4hmr · GitHub Advisory Database
Cite this entry
"Malicious code in adpaypal (PyPI)." supplychainattack.org, Supply Chain Attack Incident Catalog. Disclosed July 21, 2026; last updated July 21, 2026. https://supplychainattack.org/incident/malicious-code-in-adpaypal-pypi-dm16ve
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