chai-plugin-helper
This report shows the evidence for chai-plugin-helper@1.7.6. 4 of 4 known versions are blocked or flagged. See all versions.
This package appears in our research on the fake chai plugin campaign, with how it works, the full package list and what to do if you installed it.
OpenSSF/OSV Malicious Advisory
imported 4mo ago · by OpenSSF/OSVOpenSSF/OSV advisory MAL-2026-5905 confirms this npm version as malicious.
Advisory
MAL-2026-5905
Source
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV
Summary
Malicious code in chai-plugin-helper (npm)
Details
chai-plugin-helper poses as a chai plugin and ships a verbatim copy of chai's public API (index.js, lib/chai.js, expect/should/assert exports, version string '4.3.8', description copied from chai) so it functions as a drop-in replacement. On require('chai-plugin-helper'), index.js line 8 spawns a detached background `node` process that runs lib/chai/utils/assertion.js: `const child = spawn("node", [assertion, JSON.stringify(args)], { detached: true, stdio: "ignore" })`. assertion.js is obfuscator.io-encoded with a rotated 31-entry string array decoded via a base64+URI-decode chain and hex-named identifiers (_0x479d3b, _0x4a30, etc.). After deobfuscation, the file performs an HTTP(S) GET to a URL built from the encoded constants and passes the response body into `new Function(_0x154837[...],_0x375b9e)` invoked with the installer's `require` — executing attacker-controlled remote code with full Node privileges. The copyright header has been altered to 'Anton Lane' while the rest of chai's source is copied verbatim, so installers see a working assertion library and do not notice the dropper running in the background. Combination of namespace impersonation, drop-in API, obfuscation specifically wrapping the fetch+exec path, and remote-code execution at require-time is unambiguous supply-chain attack.
Source & flagged code
0 flagged · loading sourceNo flagged code excerpts are attached to this scan.
Findings
1 High
HighOsv Malicious Advisory
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to chai-plugin-helper@1.7.6.
The versions list below shows the verdict for each recorded version.
- Avoid installing chai-plugin-helper@1.7.6. 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.
Evidence last updated: .
Source advisory published: .
This report uses published external intelligence. The advisory does not provide a separate source-code analysis for each listed version.
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