Malicious code in advm (PyPI)
The advm package on PyPI contained malicious code as part of a campaign by EsqueleSquad group that published nearly 6000 malicious packages across PyPI and NPM. The malicious code executed spyware and information-stealing malware.
- Disclosed
- Last updated
- Blast radius
- Potentially thousands of installations; part of a large-scale malicious package campaign affecting PyPI and NPM ecosystems.
- Ecosystems
- Attack vectors
- Threat actor
- Affected entities
- advmPyPI package containing malicious code
The advm package on PyPI was identified as containing malicious code. This package was part of a large-scale coordinated campaign by the EsqueleSquad group, which published nearly 6000 malicious packages across both PyPI and NPM ecosystems.
The malicious code in these packages was designed to execute spyware and information-stealing malware on affected systems. The incident was documented and tracked by the OpenSSF (Open Source Security Foundation) in their malicious-packages repository.
The package has been identified with the malicious package identifier MAL-2023-2508 in the OpenSSF tracking system, indicating this was a known malicious package campaign from 2023.
Indicators of compromise
- Packages
- advm
Remediation
- Remove the advm package from all environments immediately
- Audit systems that installed advm for signs of compromise, including unauthorized access, data exfiltration, or persistence mechanisms
- Review and revoke any credentials or sensitive information that may have been exposed
- Monitor affected systems for spyware and information-stealing malware activity
- Check the OpenSSF malicious-packages repository for the complete list of affected packages in this campaign and remove them
- Implement package verification and scanning in your dependency management pipeline to detect malicious packages before installation
Sources
- GitHub Advisory GHSA-6h2r-7fw5-fgr5 · GitHub Advisory Database
Cite this entry
"Malicious code in advm (PyPI)." supplychainattack.org, Supply Chain Attack Incident Catalog. Disclosed July 21, 2026; last updated July 21, 2026. https://supplychainattack.org/incident/malicious-code-in-advm-pypi-7lux1s
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