Which versions of cpucheck are malicious?

The following PyPI versions of cpucheck are flagged malicious: 1.0.0, 1.1.0, 1.2.0. Treat any of these as compromised.

How do I remediate cpucheck if I installed it?

cpucheck is built to steal secrets, so assume every credential the build or runtime could read is compromised. Remove it from your project and lockfile, then rotate ALL exposed secrets — npm/registry tokens, cloud keys, CI/CD secrets, SSH keys, and any .env values — from a known-clean machine. Audit logs for unauthorized use of those credentials.

I already installed cpucheck — how do I know if it already compromised me?

If cpucheck was installed, its post-install payload may already have run. Removing the package does not undo that — check outbound connections and credential use from the install window onward.

Is cpucheck part of a known attack campaign?

Yes — cpucheck is associated with the 2026-03-pyutils-helper campaign. Packages in the same campaign often share infrastructure and payloads, so check whether any related packages are also in your dependency tree.

How do I find cpucheck across my projects, lockfiles, and CI pipelines?

Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for cpucheck (3 malicious versions).

Malicious package

cpucheckPyPI

Advisory published Mar 8, 2026Updated Mar 8, 2026

cpucheck is a confirmed malicious PyPI package (MAL-2026-1279) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious versions 1.0.0, 1.1.0, 1.2.0). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

Malicious code in cpucheck (PyPI)

MAL-2026-1279

Immediate action

Remove the package, then rotate any secrets the build/runtime could reach.

pip uninstall cpucheck

What this malware does

Importing the module starts a silent cryptocurrency mining in the background for a hardcoded wallet.

Category: MALICIOUS - The campaign has clearly malicious intent, like infostealers.

Campaign: 2026-03-pyutils-helper

Reasons (based on the campaign):

cryptominer

Malicious versions

3 flagged

1.0.01.1.01.2.0

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

5c9d20d009145b270e9b9f2bb73540bb7484845f0cbe9c73f4cf20cc28f776c9

Detection & response playbook

Credential / info stealer

Find it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for cpucheck (3 malicious versions).
If you installed it — respond
cpucheck is built to steal secrets, so assume every credential the build or runtime could read is compromised. Remove it from your project and lockfile, then rotate ALL exposed secrets — npm/registry tokens, cloud keys, CI/CD secrets, SSH keys, and any .env values — from a known-clean machine. Audit logs for unauthorized use of those credentials.
Did it already run?
If cpucheck was installed, its post-install payload may already have run. Removing the package does not undo that — check outbound connections and credential use from the install window onward.

Frequently asked questions

No. cpucheck on PyPI has been identified as a malicious package (versions 1.0.0, 1.1.0, 1.2.0 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

2026-03-pyutils-helper

References

bad-packages.kam193.eu

Credits

Kamil Mańkowski (kam193) · reporter

Detect & block this

O3 blocks cpucheck-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the credential exfiltration and severs the channel.

Malware detection Runtime egress monitoring

Explore

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