assert-kit

assert-kit@4.3.2 impersonates the chai assertion library (bundles chai's source, contributors, and API surface under a different author and homepage assertkit.com) and adds a remote-code execution backdoor. On require('assert-kit'), index.js calls validate_assert() at module top level, which spawns a detached node subprocess running lib/chai/utils/addAssertion.js with stdio:'ignore' and unref() so the child survives the consumer process. lib/chai/utils/addAssertion.js is heavily obfuscator.io-obfuscated; after string-array decoding it requires 'https', performs an https.get to a URL assembled from decoded strings, and passes the response body to `new Function('require', body)(require)` — running attacker-controlled JavaScript with full Node capabilities (filesystem, network, child_process, environment). Any project that installs and require()s this package executes whatever code the operator currently serves from the hardcoded endpoint, in a backgrounded process the user cannot easily see or terminate. ## Source: ghsa-malware (a42618d9b7dbd1c89448d216bbe53a557d2a1e95064936fcafe9ffece01c61a9) Any computer that has this package installed or running should be considered fully compromised. All secrets and keys stored on that computer should be rotated immediately from a different computer. The package should be removed, but as full control of the computer may have been given to an outside entity, there is no guarantee that removing the package will remove all malicious software resulting from installing it.