gztensor-cli

GHSA-4fq7-27j6-35mx

Malicious code in gztensor-cli (PyPI)

Details

**Severity:** Critical

**Affected versions:** `= 0.0.1`

## Source: kam193 (6010189e23e54782200df770b6e40ed7e37284779c25f28cd145aadd9ee8b623)
Package clones a legitimate library and adds a hidden code that downloads a malicious script. The script then downloads an archive with malicious executable in the version appropriate to the system architecture, and ensures persistency by adding automatically started service entries. The remote code is a Go-based inforstealer and backdoor previously attributed to Nordkorean cybercrime activities.

The malicious code was introduced in version 0.1.1. Besides an infostealer, the package modifies the cloned Bittensor library to collect keys.


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


Campaign: 2026-01-gztensor-cli


Reasons (based on the campaign):


 - crypto-related


 - action-hidden-in-lib-usage


 - Downloads and executes a remote executable.


 - clones-real-package


 - peristence-autorun


 - typosquatting


 - obfuscation


 - backdoor


 - infostealer

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Credit: [OpenSSF](https://github.com/ossf/malicious-packages) ([source](https://github.com/ossf/malicious-packages/blob/49d0cfba3689ed9b195d101d3a2a964c6a77f767/osv/malicious/pypi/gztensor-cli/MAL-2026-53.json))

**References:**
- https://bad-packages.kam193.eu/pypi/package/gztensor-cli
- https://dmpdump.github.io/posts/NorthKorea_Backdoor_Stealer
- https://github.com/ossf/malicious-packages/blob/49d0cfba3689ed9b195d101d3a2a964c6a77f767/osv/malicious/pypi/gztensor-cli/MAL-2026-53.json
- https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file-analysis/NTk2Y2FiNTBmM2QxODI2NDRlZGM0OTA2OGVjYzUxOTk6MTc2NzYzMzkzMA==
- https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/d02d6a5da3cff57d78e260961526420c172a46f4a07d18a3865fecbf5dfebc1d/detection
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-4fq7-27j6-35mx

Compromised versions (1)

= 0.0.1

Any computer that installed or ran a compromised version should be considered fully compromised. Rotate every secret on that machine from a clean environment.