chai-web3-testkit
This report shows the evidence for chai-web3-testkit@1.0.1, the only known version.
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-2026-5699 confirms this npm version as malicious.
Advisory
MAL-2026-5699
Source
OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV
Summary
Malicious code in chai-web3-testkit (npm)
Details
The package advertises itself as a Web3.js testing toolkit but its content is copied from the legitimate chai-smart-assert library and a malicious dropper has been added. The main export `chaiPlugin` (src/index.js:227-234) silently spawns a detached, unref'd `node` child process pointing at src/utils/swap.js with stdio set to 'ignore', hiding all output. swap.js (lines 21-23) then fetches arbitrary JavaScript from https://www.jsonkeeper.com/b/AAON3 over axios with a custom `x-secret-key` header, retries 5x, and feeds the response body into `new Function.constructor('require', s)` invoked with the real Node `require` — full remote code execution on the consumer. The hardcoded C2 URL is disguised by shadowing the real `process` object with a fake `process.env` containing `DEV_API_KEY`/`DEV_SECRET_KEY`/`DEV_SECRET_VALUE` (swap.js:4-10), and console.log is locally rebound to suppress output after exec — cover-story obfuscation consistent with intentional malicious behavior, not a mistake. Repository URL github.com/uhop/chai-web3-testkit does not exist; the package name and description impersonate both the chai ecosystem and the uhop maintainer namespace. Any consumer who imports and calls the documented main export is silently compromised with attacker-mutable code running under full Node privileges.
## Source: ghsa-malware (08ecedb36b3feee0b20984ec8e0da248a8182e27d55eb1ed6fbcfdd26e7f325c) 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.
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-web3-testkit@1.0.1.
The versions list below shows the verdict for each recorded version.
- Avoid installing chai-web3-testkit@1.0.1. 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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