---
id: MAL-2026-6245
title: Malicious code in request-cache-py (PyPI)
summary: Malicious code in request-cache-py (PyPI)
severity: none
vendor: request-cache-py
product: request-cache-py
ecosystem: pip
affected:
  - request-cache-py
published: '2026-06-20'
updated: '2026-07-08'
source: OSV
sourceUrl: 'https://osv.dev/vulnerability/MAL-2026-6245'
references:
  - url: 'https://bad-packages.kam193.eu/pypi/package/request-cache-py'
  - url: 'https://pypi.org/project/request-cache-py/1.1.0/'
  - url: 'https://pypi.org/project/request-cache-py/1.0.0/'
  - url: 'https://pypi.org/project/request-cache-py/1.0.7/'
  - url: 'https://pypi.org/project/request-cache-py/1.0.8/'
  - url: 'https://pypi.org/project/request-cache-py/1.0.3/'
  - url: 'https://pypi.org/project/request-cache-py/1.0.4/'
  - url: 'https://pypi.org/project/request-cache-py/1.0.6/'
  - url: 'https://pypi.org/project/request-cache-py/1.0.1/'
  - url: 'https://pypi.org/project/request-cache-py/1.0.2/'
  - url: 'https://pypi.org/project/request-cache-py/1.0.5/'
  - url: 'https://pypi.org/project/request-cache-py/1.0.9/'
tags:
  - osv
  - pip
ingestedAt: '2026-07-09T11:56:19.586Z'
---

## Overview


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

## Source: amazon-inspector (eafb96e46544cb1351d26caf52bff79055bc205a1f8454737b677fff8fbc6fea)
request-cache-py impersonates the legitimate requests-cache HTTP caching library. On `import request_cache_py`, the package's `__init__.py` starts a background thread that harvests installer-side secrets and POSTs them to a hardcoded attacker Telegram bot.

Observed behaviors:
- Reads private keys and credentials from `~/.ssh/` (`id_rsa`, `id_ed25519`, `id_ecdsa`, `id_dsa`), `~/.aws/credentials`, `~/.aws/config`, `~/.gitconfig`, `~/.git-credentials`, `~/.npmrc`, `~/.pypirc`, `~/.dockercfg`, `~/.docker/config.json`, plus gcloud and vscode settings.
- Copies Chrome/Edge/Safari `Login Data`, `Cookies`, and `History` SQLite databases to `/tmp` and extracts saved logins, cookies, and browsing history (`SELECT origin_url, username_value FROM logins`; `SELECT host_key, name, value, path FROM cookies`).
- Iterates `os.environ` and exfiltrates any variable whose name contains `key`, `token`, `secret`, `password`, `api`, or `auth`.
- Posts the collected data to `https://api.telegram.org/bot<redacted>/sendMessage` with a fixed `chat_id`. The bot token and chat id are base64-split across pieces and reassembled at runtime to evade scanners.
- Includes sandbox-evasion: `_should_skip()` aborts when `CI`, `GITHUB_ACTIONS`, `TRAVIS`, `JENKINS_HOME`, `CIRCLECI`, `/.dockerenv`, or hypervisor markers are present, restricting execution to real developer workstations. A `~/.cache/.pyrc` marker suppresses repeat sends within 24 hours.

The combination — name impersonation of a popular library, import-time credential harvest from classic developer secret paths, browser database theft, env scraping, base64-obfuscated C2, sandbox evasion — is a deliberate supply-chain credential stealer targeting human developers.

## Source: kam193 (d027c4b6379310432f96b48dc78c73ddf1346052c5ab16ea6ed4fe3fc0754d08)
During import, package exfiltrates browsers data, SSH keys and other credential files, env variables and other sensitive data.


---

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


Campaign: 2026-06-request-cache-py


Reasons (based on the campaign):


 - infostealer


 - exfiltration-env-variables


 - exfiltration-ssh-keys


 - impersonation


 - A Telegram webhook is used to send collected data.


 - exfiltration-browser-data


 - The package contains code to detect if it is running in a sandbox environment.


 - exfiltration-credentials


 - The malicious code is intentionally included in a dependency of the package


## Affected packages

- `request-cache-py`

## Remediation

Refer to the advisory for the patched release.