Detecting Python modules with backdoors and malicious code

In this section, we will be able to understand how to detect Python modules with backdoors and malicious code. We'll do this by reviewing insecure packages in PyPi, covering how to detect backdoors in Python modules, and with the help of an example of a denial-of-service attack in a Python module.

Insecure packages in PyPi

When you import a module into your Python program, the code is run by the interpreter. This means that you need to be careful with imported modules. PyPi is a fantastic tool, but often the code submitted is not verified, so you will encounter malicious packages with minor variations in the package names.

You can find an article analyzing malicious packages found to be typo-squatting in the Python Package Index at the following URL: https://snyk.io/blog/malicious-packages-found-to-be-typo-squatting-in-pypi.

For example, security researchers have found malicious packages that have been published...