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Malicious package

kraken-traderPyPI

Advisory published Updated

kraken-trader is a confirmed malicious PyPI package (MAL-2026-2517) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious versions 1.0.0, 1.0.1). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

Malicious code in kraken-trader (PyPI)

MAL-2026-2517
Immediate action
Remove the package, then rotate any secrets the build/runtime could reach.
pip uninstall kraken-trader

What this malware does

The package is a loader of malicious code disguised as remote "credits" code. The remote location, built from the parts in the code, delivers highly obfuscated JavaScript code that could be executed by the node.js runner embeded in the package. While all parts are in the package, it lacks the triggering code. As per Socket.dev attribution, it's a dependency used in North Korean fake interviews campaign.

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

Campaign: 2026-04-kraken-trader

Reasons (based on the campaign):

  • crypto-related

  • Downloads and executes a remote malicious script.

Malicious versions

2 flagged
1.0.01.0.1

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

4bf5ec6e8a6020de1e122cf07f2dde0f02fa1a484ff984586db379729da75523

Detection & response playbook

Credential / info stealer
  1. Find it

    Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for kraken-trader (2 malicious versions).

  2. If you installed it — respond

    kraken-trader 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.

  3. Did it already run?

    If kraken-trader 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. kraken-trader on PyPI has been identified as a malicious package (versions 1.0.0, 1.0.1 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

2026-04-kraken-trader

References

Credits

  • Kamil Mańkowski (kam193) · reporter

Detect & block this

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

Explore

kraken-trader (PyPI) malicious package — MAL-2026-2517 | O3 Security