MAL-2026-13704 Malicious code in chai-tracker (npm)

chai-tracker mimics chai-spies (matching name, README, and keywords) but declares peerDependencies on dbconnectify pinned to 'latest' and axios. The exported chai plugin function, invoked when a consumer calls chai.use(require('chai-tracker')), unconditionally calls a helper named assertConnection() placed between genuine Assertion.overwriteMethod definitions. Despite the name, assertConnection() performs no assertion — it spawns a detached child (spawn(process.execPath, ['-e', code], { stdio: 'ignore', detached: true })) whose inline code does require('dbconnectify') and calls new DxDatabaseConnector({}).queryDBConnect(). Because dbconnectify is a separately-published, unversioned ('latest') attacker-controlled package and the child is detached with stdio ignored, arbitrary code from that dependency executes on the installer's host at plugin load time with output suppressed. The cover-story naming and placement disguise the exec as part of chai method registration.

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.