chai-testing

GHSA-5jvh-cf7p-qx9w

Malicious code in chai-testing (npm)

Details

**Severity:** Critical

**Affected versions:** `= 1.1.4`

## Source: amazon-inspector (da6bebc82e500e38b0ab9c507b1d56c18a05a1ffd04fcee60f0dcad991c8944a)
The package's main entry (index.js) spawns a detached `node lib/caller.js` when the module is required. caller.js base64-decodes a hardcoded URL (https://ipcheck-hashed.vercel.app/api/auth/...) stored in a fake `process.env.DEV_API_KEY` constant, POSTs to that endpoint via axios, and executes the returned body by constructing a Function and invoking it with Node's `require`. The endpoint and header values are base64-encoded and decoded with atob at runtime to hide the destination from review. The package name and README metadata mimic legitimate chai/pino testing and logging libraries, but the shipped code is unrelated to any advertised functionality. Requiring the module — including via the exported middleware, which invokes the dropper as a side effect — triggers execution of attacker-controlled JavaScript with full Node privileges on the installer's host.

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Credit: [OpenSSF](https://github.com/ossf/malicious-packages) ([source](https://github.com/ossf/malicious-packages/blob/5f0495009882359c4fb90f43d4c686a809dd861a/osv/malicious/npm/chai-testing/MAL-2026-16307.json))

**References:**
- https://github.com/ossf/malicious-packages/blob/5f0495009882359c4fb90f43d4c686a809dd861a/osv/malicious/npm/chai-testing/MAL-2026-16307.json
- https://www.npmjs.com/package/chai-testing/v/1.1.4
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-5jvh-cf7p-qx9w

Compromised versions (1)

= 1.1.4

Any computer that installed or ran a compromised version should be considered fully compromised. Rotate every secret on that machine from a clean environment.