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Criminal Code Hidden in Open Source: How Hackers Are Using PyPI Packages to Hunt Social Media Accounts
Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a new and disturbing trend within the open-source Python ecosystem. Several malicious packages uploaded to the Python Package Index (PyPI) have been specifically engineered to exploit TikTok and Instagram APIs. These packages, disguised as innocent tools, are actually powerful account-checking scripts. Their purpose? To validate email addresses against active social media accounts, laying the groundwork for sophisticated cyberattacks.
What may appear to be just another Python utility can actually be a weapon in the wrong hands. These tools automate the validation process of compromised emails, confirming whether they are tied to real accounts on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Once confirmed, hackers use this intelligence to execute large-scale attacks including credential stuffing, account takeovers, and harassment campaigns.
The Rising Threat from Malicious PyPI Checkers
In a rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape, hackers are using automation to boost the effectiveness and scale of their attacks. A recent wave of malicious Python packages found on PyPI exemplifies this. Packages such as checker-SaGaF, steinlurks, and sinnercore have been identified as sophisticated “checker” tools. These scripts test email addresses or usernames against the login and recovery APIs of social media platforms to determine if those credentials are active.
These packages utilized advanced tactics to bypass detection. For example, checker-SaGaF mimicked official TikTok and Instagram app traffic by spoofing headers and user-agents. It queried TikTok’s password recovery API and Instagram’s private mobile login endpoints, parsing responses to confirm account existence. Similarly, steinlurks randomized HTTP fingerprints and switched between multiple API endpoints to avoid triggering anti-bot mechanisms.
sinnercore, on the other hand, used older Instagram APIs to send password reset requests. While it also validated accounts, it served an additional purpose: to harass users by flooding them with unsolicited reset emails.
The implications of these tools are significant. Once attackers compile verified email lists, often acquired from dark web data leaks, they launch credential-based attacks like password spraying or social engineering. These validated lists are highly valuable on underground markets, where tens of thousands of confirmed accounts can be sold for hundreds of dollars.
Security experts warn that this is not just a nuisance. Malicious code on PyPI represents a severe supply chain threat. Any developer who unknowingly installs one of these packages risks opening a backdoor to attackers. To counter this, experts recommend proactive scanning using tools like Socket, minimizing error messages in authentication flows, and monitoring for automated activity patterns.
Finally, platforms like Instagram and TikTok must harden their APIs, improve endpoint rate-limiting, and obfuscate account verification logic to slow down automated checker attacks.
What Undercode Say:
The emergence of malicious account checker tools inside open-source platforms like PyPI represents a concerning convergence of automation, cybercrime, and software supply chain vulnerability.
At the heart of the issue is the exploitation of public and private APIs. TikTok and Instagram’s APIs are designed to help users recover their accounts or log in securely. Yet, these same features are now being reverse-engineered and abused by threat actors. This reveals a troubling reality: user-friendly features often double as threat vectors.
The sophistication of these tools is not to be underestimated. The use of spoofed user-agents and randomized HTTP behavior mirrors the tactics of advanced persistent threats. These are not basic scripts written by amateurs. They’re designed to evade detection systems, exploit rate-limiting loopholes, and automate what would otherwise be a labor-intensive process.
From a cybersecurity standpoint, the use of supply chain channels like PyPI to distribute these tools is a dangerous evolution. Developers often trust packages on PyPI and may not perform detailed audits of every dependency. This trust is being weaponized. Once a malicious checker is installed, even unintentionally, it can begin scanning or even exfiltrating data without the user realizing.
What’s equally alarming is the ecosystem that supports and profits from these tools. Validated account lists are currency on the dark web. They facilitate everything from spam campaigns to targeted phishing attacks. The potential for doxing, impersonation, and financial theft is enormous.
The reaction from platforms and the open-source community needs to be fast and coordinated. API endpoints must be treated as critical infrastructure. Social platforms must invest in aggressive rate-limiting, machine learning-based anomaly detection, and regular API audits. PyPI and similar repositories should improve vetting and introduce more advanced scanning at the time of package submission.
This incident underscores the importance of a zero-trust approach—not just at the network level, but also in software development. Developers, organizations, and platform providers all share responsibility in closing these gaps.
Cybersecurity is no longer just about keeping out intruders. It’s about maintaining vigilance at every stage of digital interaction—from the code you install, to the APIs you offer, to the user flows you design.
Fact Checker Results:
✅ Confirmed Threat: Malicious PyPI packages were used to automate account checking
🔍 Verified Techniques: Use of spoofed HTTP headers and internal API endpoints
💰 Real-World Impact: Verified accounts sold on dark web markets at scale
Prediction:
We can expect a growing trend of malicious tools hidden in open-source repositories, especially those targeting API-based systems. As social media platforms enhance their defenses, attackers will shift toward more obscure platforms or diversify their abuse of APIs across gaming, finance, and e-commerce. In response, both platform providers and software repositories must bolster real-time code analysis, improve transparency, and tighten security standards across the board.
References:
Reported By: cyberpress.org
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