Which versions of py-base58 are malicious?

The following PyPI versions of py-base58 are flagged malicious: 2.1.3, 2.1.4. Treat any of these as compromised.

How do I remediate py-base58 if I installed it?

py-base58 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 py-base58 — how do I know if it already compromised me?

If py-base58 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 py-base58 part of a known attack campaign?

Yes — py-base58 is associated with the 2026-07-py-base58, IN-MAL-2026-009749 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 py-base58 across my projects, lockfiles, and CI pipelines?

Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for py-base58 (2 malicious versions).

Malicious package

py-base58PyPI

Advisory published Jul 12, 2026Updated Jul 12, 2026

py-base58 is a confirmed malicious PyPI package (MAL-2026-10193) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious versions 2.1.3, 2.1.4). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

Malicious code in py-base58 (PyPI)

MAL-2026-10193

Immediate action

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

pip uninstall py-base58

What this malware does

py-base58 2.1.3 masquerades as a pure-Python base58 encoder but on first import of the top-level base58 package decodes a ~640KB base64-embedded Linux ELF binary from base58/_payload.py, writes it to ~/.config/.npm-cache/ under a name masquerading as a system daemon (e.g. systemd-journald, nvidia-persistenced, docker-containerd), chmods it 0777, launches it, and installs a user crontab entry re-executing it every 12 hours. The init.py hook then removes the package's own.dist-info/.egg-info directories from site-packages so pip list and pip show no longer reveal the package. Strings in the dropped binary identify it as a cryptocurrency-wallet stealer targeting BIP-39 mnemonics and keystore files for Phantom, MetaMask, Ledger, and Exodus, and paths including ~/.config/solana/id.json, ~/.ethereum/keystore, and ~/.foundry/keystores; harvested material is encrypted to an embedded attacker RSA public key and uploaded to public file hosts api.pinata.cloud (IPFS pinning), uguu.se, temp.sh, and transfer.sh. The package's declared purpose (base58 encoding) has no legitimate need to drop a native binary, schedule cron persistence, or scrub its own installation metadata.

The package embeds an executable stealing cryptocurrency wallets data. During import, code saves the executable under a name suggesting system utility and configures cron to run it periodically. The exfiltrated data is encrypted using embedded RSA code before uploading to file-sharing services or IPFS.

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

Campaign: 2026-07-py-base58

Reasons (based on the campaign):

crypto-related
exfiltration-crypto
persistence

Malicious versions

2 flagged

2.1.32.1.4

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

fef36b20481cc02340f4bee670f918213d738a738d6c70de568bd93dc05af360

f4ef10f40dc13a645cebdee601417b590c92ab69039dbdf9962c36b36497949b

Detection & response playbook

Credential / info stealer

Find it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for py-base58 (2 malicious versions).
If you installed it — respond
py-base58 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 py-base58 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. py-base58 on PyPI has been identified as a malicious package (versions 2.1.3, 2.1.4 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

2026-07-py-base58IN-MAL-2026-009749

References

Credits

Amazon Inspector · finder
Kamil Mańkowski (kam193) · reporter

Detect & block this

O3 blocks py-base58-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

All malware advisories How O3 detects malware Vulnerability database