---
id: "MAL-2026-15862"
kind: "package"
aliases: ["MAL-2026-15862"]
title: "Malicious code in py-2equests (PyPI)"
severity: "critical"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: [{"name": "py-2equests", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 0.0.1", "ecosystem": "pypi"}]
ecosystems: ["pypi"]
tags: ["malicious", "package"]
not_affected_if: []
published_at: "2026-09-03T17:01:50+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-26T20:51:56+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-26T21:12:36+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "osv-malicious", "url": "https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-15862", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-26T20:51:56+00:00"}]
---

# Malicious code in py-2equests (PyPI)

## Affected

- pypi:py-2equests affected = 0.0.1 fixed ?

## Timeline

- 2026-10-26T20:51:56+00:00 osv-malicious https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-15862

## From the sources

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_-= Per source details. Do not edit below this line.=-_

## Source: amazon-inspector (9bd7b93cf88d0fbcca30c50d9c9de6e14134cd2890be5a7a785e9330e98a988c)
py-2equests is a typosquat of the popular 'requests' package (substituting '2' for 'r'). On `import py_2equests`, the top-level module body iterates os.environ and collects all variables whose keys start with SECRET, API, TOKEN, or KEY, then opens a TCP socket to a host/port taken from the TS_HOST/TS_PORT environment variables (defaulting to 127.0.0.1:9999 but overridable to any remote destination) and sends the collected secrets over it. The same import path then spawns a python subprocess that connects back to the same TS_HOST:TS_PORT, sends the literal 'SHELL', and holds the socket open as a reverse-shell channel, described in an author comment as a 'reverse shell hook'. A code comment reads 'Exfiltrate env vars and open reverse shell on install' and the CLI prints 'py_2equests installed -- targeting requests', self-documenting the intent. Any process that imports the package leaks credential-shaped environment variables and grants remote shell access to whoever controls the configured destination.

## Source: kam193 (e77ec1203f9d490621144227c797d33bf3271c674bcc248fbaf16aaeca9bd106)
During import, the code exfiltrates potentially sensitive env variables. In all analyzed versions the exfiltration target was a localhost, suggesting it was just a test.


---

Category: PROBABLY_PENTEST - Packages looking like typical pentest packages, but also anything that looks like testing, exploring pre-prepared kits, research & co, with clearly low-harm possibilities.


Campaign: 2026-09-0requests


Reasons (based on the campaign):


 - exfiltration-env-variables


 - typosquatting

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_