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Malicious package

chai-async-chainsnpm

Advisory published Updated

chai-async-chains is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2025-192753) that executes malicious code on install (malicious version 2.4.2). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.

Malicious code in chai-async-chains (npm)

MAL-2025-192753
Immediate action
Remove the package, then rotate any secrets the build/runtime could reach.
npm uninstall chai-async-chains

What this malware does

The package chai-async-chains was found to contain malicious code.

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

1 flagged
2.4.2

Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)

71f001d60e21257b0a14e3048d80541eabe69df7b151f61ee5e3c57a036ddd94
3dfd7db9210fae054def8abcb6989e1158a4774dbec18c08ac6eebcbf95ef753
d5a17e754026493435c5568162082db5e2e730b15c151bbc1f55c3b5b7b15b65

Detection & response playbook

Malicious package
  1. Find it

    Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for chai-async-chains (version 2.4.2).

  2. If you installed it — respond

    Remove chai-async-chains from your project and lockfile, then assume any secrets accessible to the build or runtime were exposed: rotate API keys, tokens, and credentials, and audit for unexpected outbound activity or persistence.

  3. Did it already run?

    If chai-async-chains 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

No. chai-async-chains on npm has been identified as a malicious package (version 2.4.2 flagged). It should be removed immediately — do not install or keep it in your dependency tree.

Campaign

GHSA-r8fq-6pxg-2f6qRLMA-2026-01162

References

Credits

  • Amazon Inspector · finder
  • ReversingLabs · finder

Detect & block this

O3 blocks chai-async-chains-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the malicious outbound activity and severs the channel.

Explore

chai-async-chains (npm) malicious package — MAL-2025-192753 | O3 Security