Malicious Code Vulnerability in perfkitbenchmarker Package
Summary
MAL-2026-1992: Malicious code in perfkitbenchmarker (PyPI). Affects perfkitbenchmarker versions 9.9.9. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
perfkitbenchmarker is a Python package available on PyPI that is designed for benchmarking cloud services. It provides a suite of tools for performance testing and comparison of various cloud providers. However, this package has been found to contain malicious code that exfiltrates sensitive information from the host system, posing a significant security risk to users who install it.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability originates from a malicious code embedded in the perfkitbenchmarker package, specifically in the setup.py file. When users install the package, it overrides the install command to execute this malicious code, which collects and exfiltrates basic information such as the host's IP address and username. This behavior indicates that the package serves no legitimate purpose other than to gather sensitive data, making it a potential threat to user privacy and security.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
pip uninstall perfkitbenchmarkerIf it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, users can avoid installing the perfkitbenchmarker package altogether. If it is already installed, it can be removed using the command: 'pip uninstall perfkitbenchmarker'.
Conclusion
The perfkitbenchmarker package has been identified as containing malicious code that poses a risk to user privacy by exfiltrating sensitive information. Users are advised to uninstall the package and monitor for any updates or patches that may address this vulnerability. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring and alerting for such vulnerabilities in real-time.
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FAQ
perfkitbenchmarker is a Python package designed for benchmarking cloud services, allowing users to test and compare the performance of different cloud providers.
The malicious code collects basic information about the host system, including the IP address and username, which can compromise user privacy.
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Currently, the affected version is 9.9.9. Users should monitor the package repository for any updates or patches that address this vulnerability.
If you have installed the perfkitbenchmarker package, it is recommended to uninstall it immediately using the command: 'pip uninstall perfkitbenchmarker'.
