Open-Source Threat: The “set-utils” Package
The world of open-source software is like a big, collaborative city where people share and build upon each other’s work. Recently, a sneaky problem popped up in this city, targeting a very secure and decentralized system called Ethereum. A tricky Python package named “set-utils” was found on the Python Package Index (PyPI), and it’s been causing trouble since January 29, 2025[1][2].
What’s Wrong with “set-utils”?
The “set-utils” package looks like a helpful tool for Python, but it’s actually a sneaky thief. It’s been downloaded over 1,000 times, and it’s been tricking people into giving away their Ethereum private keys[1][2].
Here’s how it works: When you use this package to create an Ethereum wallet, it secretly steals your private key. It does this by hiding in the functions you use to create your wallet, like `from_key()` and `from_mnemonic()`[1]. Once it has your private key, it sends it to the thief using a sneaky method that’s hard to detect[1].
Who’s in Danger?
The people most at risk are those using Python to create and manage Ethereum wallets. This includes blockchain developers, people working on DeFi projects, Web3 apps that use Ethereum, and anyone using Python to automate their wallets[1]. Even if only a few people download the package, the impact can be big because these wallets can create many more wallets that could be stolen[1].
What Should You Do?
If you’ve downloaded the “set-utils” package, you should uninstall it right away[1]. If you’ve created wallets using this package, it’s important to assume that your private keys have been stolen. If your wallets have any money in them, you should move it to a new wallet as soon as possible to keep it safe[1].
Keeping Our Open-Source City Safe
The “set-utils” incident shows us that even trusted places like PyPI can have problems. To keep our open-source city safe, we need to be careful and look out for each other. New tools like DySec are being developed to help spot bad packages in real-time[4]. As our digital world grows, it’s important to keep these places safe so we can trust the software we use.
—
Sources:
– Bleeping Computer
– Daily.dev
– Wilder Security
– arXiv