What does the time-server-analysis malware do?

This campaign is built from two parts: 1) packages named like time-check-server, snapshot-photo contain an innocent-looking code that sends "date" to a remote server, 2) packages named like alicloud-client are clones of legit aliyun-python-sdk-core package, with a small change in the client.py code, where it imports the time-check-server and calls it, but instead of a date, the credentials to the cloud are exfiltrated. There are also variations with AWS clients Apparently, the campaign started at least 2 years ago with the snapshot-photo package containing the same functionality as the newer time-check-server (see https://github.com/pypi-data/pypi-mirror-238/blob/code/packages/snapshot-phot

Which versions of time-server-analysis are malicious?

The following PyPI versions of time-server-analysis are flagged malicious: 0.0.1. Treat any of these as compromised.

How do I remediate time-server-analysis if I installed it?

time-server-analysis 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 time-server-analysis — how do I know if it already compromised me?

If time-server-analysis 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 time-server-analysis part of a known attack campaign?

Yes — time-server-analysis is associated with the 2025-02-alicloud-client 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 time-server-analysis across my projects, lockfiles, and CI pipelines?

Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for time-server-analysis (version 0.0.1).

Part of a larger attack: 2025-02-alicloud-client published 23 malicious packages. See the full campaign →

Malicious package

time-server-analysisPyPI

Advisory published Feb 25, 2025Updated Jan 30, 2026

time-server-analysis is a confirmed malicious PyPI package (MAL-2025-191902) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious version 0.0.1). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

Malicious code in time-server-analysis (PyPI)

MAL-2025-191902

Immediate action

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

pip uninstall time-server-analysis

What this malware does

This campaign is built from two parts:

packages named like time-check-server, snapshot-photo contain an innocent-looking code that sends "date" to a remote server,
packages named like alicloud-client are clones of legit aliyun-python-sdk-core package, with a small change in the client.py code, where it imports the time-check-server and calls it, but instead of a date, the credentials to the cloud are exfiltrated. There are also variations with AWS clients

Apparently, the campaign started at least 2 years ago with the snapshot-photo package containing the same functionality as the newer time-check-server (see https://github.com/pypi-data/pypi-mirror-238/blob/code/packages/snapshot-photo/snapshot_photo-0.0.3-py3-none-any.whl/snapshot_photo/date_format.py).

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

Campaign: 2025-02-alicloud-client

Reasons (based on the campaign):

clones-real-package
action-hidden-in-lib-usage
The malicious code is intentionally included in a dependency of the package
exfiltration-cloud-tokens

Malicious versions

1 flagged

0.0.1

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

1f5c39effd97bdc30fa2ac25092493389ec164216931fc56db4cf2a372841069

5f796bcefeb9b8d3af4bde36c54545d77afdcd6b63284ae58b0a6078b0bbb561

10311e52562738a47d786b814f73f909e8a40fccbdc7326641b290d3b1179883

effa41af816c48d4f56ddba29da0ece7f31d292bcf5270c6dc4317facc329fc8

Detection & response playbook

Credential / info stealer

Find it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for time-server-analysis (version 0.0.1).
If you installed it — respond
time-server-analysis 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 time-server-analysis 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. time-server-analysis on PyPI has been identified as a malicious package (version 0.0.1 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

2025-02-alicloud-client

References

Credits

Kamil Mańkowski (kam193)

Detect & block this

O3 blocks time-server-analysis-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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