# PyPI pauses new users and projects amid a flood of malware · pwn.watch

> PyPI temporarily stopped new user registrations and new project names for about a day because malicious users and packages outpaced what its small admin team could handle.

Page: https://pwn.watch/i/pypi-pauses-registrations-malware-flood-2023 · generated 2026-10-22T22:54:30.229Z

## Status
- Severity: medium · status: closed · patch: no-fix-needed
- Product: PyPI
- Started: 2023-05-20 · closed: 2023-05-21

## Follow this incident
- RSS (one item per update): https://pwn.watch/i/pypi-pauses-registrations-malware-flood-2023/feed.xml
- JSON Feed: https://pwn.watch/i/pypi-pauses-registrations-malware-flood-2023/feed.json
- Full data (timeline, sources, posts, agentBrief): https://pwn.watch/i/pypi-pauses-registrations-malware-flood-2023.json
- This file: https://pwn.watch/i/pypi-pauses-registrations-malware-flood-2023/llms.txt

## Updates (newest first)
- 2023-05-21: Registrations resume (https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/pypi-temporarily-pauses-new-users-projects-amid-high-volume-of-malware/)
- 2023-05-20: PyPI suspends new user and new project registration (https://status.python.org/incidents/0th66lc1l8by)

## Fix brief
# Security brief: PyPI pauses new users and projects amid a flood of malware

Source: https://pwn.watch/i/pypi-pauses-registrations-malware-flood-2023 · status: closed (closed May 21, 2023) · severity: medium · updated May 21, 2023

## Patch status
**NO FIX NEEDED: no action on your side beyond verification.**

## What it is
PyPI temporarily stopped new user registrations and new project names for about a day because malicious users and packages outpaced what its small admin team could handle.

Severity detail: Registry abuse; temporary registration freeze

- Product: PyPI

## Affected versions
- Not specified in the data. Check the advisories below.

## Check whether you're affected
No generic command applies (the product is a hosted service, appliance or desktop app). Check the installed version in its admin UI / About screen and compare with the versions above.

## Fix
No fixed version is listed. Follow the vendor advisory below.

## Latest updates
- May 21, 2023: Registrations resume
- May 20, 2023: PyPI suspends new user and new project registration

## Advisories
- [Python Infrastructure Status: PyPI new user and new project registration temporarily suspended](https://status.python.org/incidents/0th66lc1l8by) (Python Software Foundation)

## Write-ups & news
- [PyPI temporarily pauses new users, projects amid high volume of malware](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/pypi-temporarily-pauses-new-users-projects-amid-high-volume-of-malware/)

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Machine-readable: https://pwn.watch/i/pypi-pauses-registrations-malware-flood-2023.json · all incidents: https://pwn.watch/incidents.json. Verify against the vendor advisory before changing production systems.