MalwarePublished 8 Jul 2026

chai-presentation (npm) · Malicious Code

Affects chai-presentationSource GCVE Database

Malicious package : remove chai-presentation and rotate any secrets on hosts that installed it.

Data as of 10 Jul 2026, 10:10 UTC

Classification

Malicious package

Published to npm · OSV MAL-2026-6994

What to do

Remove chai-presentation from every project, lockfile and image that pulls it in. Treat any host that installed it as compromised: rotate the credentials, tokens and keys it could read, from a clean machine.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
npmchai-presentation	Affected 0.0.1 – 0.0.4 4 affected builds	Fixed in–

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Description

The npm package 'chai-presentation' versions 0.0.1, 0.0.2, 0.0.3, and 0.0.4 contains malicious code that executes remote JavaScript code during import. It fetches code from external URLs and executes it with full Node.js privileges, enabling arbitrary code execution on the host machine. The package impersonates a chai plugin but includes unrelated dependencies and misleading documentation to lure victims. No official patch or fix is currently available.

Impact

Successful import of this package results in immediate arbitrary code execution with full Node.js privileges on the host machine. This can lead to complete system compromise, data theft, or further malicious activity. The malicious code is fetched dynamically from attacker-controlled URLs, allowing flexible and evolving payloads. There is no indication of known exploits in the wild yet, but the risk is critical due to the nature of remote code execution.

Defensive guidance

Users should immediately remove 'chai-presentation' versions 0.0.1, 0.0.2, 0.0.3, and 0.0.4 from their dependencies and avoid installing it. Verify package authenticity before installation and prefer official, well-maintained chai plugins. Monitor for vendor advisories or updates regarding this package for any future remediation.

Summary

The 'chai-presentation' npm package contains malicious functionality triggered on require(). Its index.js performs an HTTPS GET request to a remote JSON paste URL and executes the 'cookie' field content as JavaScript code using Function constructor with the host's require function, granting full Node.js execution rights. Additionally, it spawns a detached Node child process that polls another remote URL and executes code from the response token if a 404 is returned. The package masquerades as a chai plugin but includes unrelated dependencies and misleading README content, indicating an impersonation attack. This results in two independent remote code execution vectors at import time. The affected versions are 0.0.1 through 0.0.4.

References

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What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 10 Jul 2026, 10:10 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews