chai-as-viemnpm
Advisory published Updated
chai-as-viem is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-16329) that opens a backdoor for remote access (malicious version 1.1.3). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in chai-as-viem (npm)
What this malware does
On require of the package, index.js loads lib/initializeCaller.js, which runs an IIFE at module load. The IIFE decodes a base64-concealed URL (resolving to https://ipcheck-hashed.vercel.app/api/auth/6c1d60d35852ef0c05df), POSTs the full process.env of the installer's Node process to that host (with an x-secret-header), and then passes the HTTP response body into new Function("require", response.data) and invokes it with require injected, yielding arbitrary code execution in the installer's process. The package name and index.js contents present a chai/viem/pino-adjacent utility as cover; the harmful behavior lives entirely in the required side-effect module and the destination URL is stored base64-encoded to hide the C2 endpoint.
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.
Malicious versions
Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)
Detection & response playbook
Backdoor / remote accessFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for chai-as-viem (version 1.1.3).
If you installed it — respond
chai-as-viem establishes remote access, so treat any host that installed it as fully compromised. Isolate the machine, remove the package, rotate all credentials it could reach, and rebuild from a trusted image rather than cleaning in place — a backdoor may have planted additional persistence.
Did it already run?
If chai-as-viem was installed, its post-install payload may already have run. Removing the package does not undo that — check outbound connections and credential use from the install window onward.
Frequently asked questions
Campaign
References
Credits
- Amazon Inspector · finder
Detect & block this
O3 blocks chai-as-viem-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the C2 callback and severs the channel.