npm install && pray — Defending Your Stack from Code You Didn't Write | Jo Franchetti (Deno)

🔐 Your npm install can steal your secrets — and your AI assistant might help it do that 😓 In this talk, Jo Franchetti breaks down real supply chain attacks and shows how to run untrusted code (including AI-generated) in complete isolation — no Docker required 🔥 What's inside: 🔹 How the Shai-Hulud worm turned 1,300+ npm packages into attack vectors automatically 🔹 The Chalk attack: a phishing email → 2 billion weekly downloads compromised 🔹 Why --ignore-scripts doesn't save you at runtime 🔹 Deno's permission system stopping credential theft live on stage 🔹 Why AI-generated code is structurally less reviewed — and why that matters 🔹 12,000 live API keys in AI training data + a real GitHub Copilot CVE 🔹 MicroVM sandboxes that start in 200ms — no Docker needed 🔹 How to pass API keys to untrusted code without the code ever seeing them 🔥 Jo Franchetti is a Software Engineer and Developer Advocate passionate about developer experience, TypeScript, and teaching good use of the web. Beyond the code, Jo mentors junior developers, actively advocates for mental health awareness in tech, and works to make the industry more diverse and inclusive. 👉 Connect with Jo: 🔗 https://x.com/thisisjofrank 🔗 https://github.com/thisisjofrank 📌 Follow the link to watch the full version of the talk and gain access to all Node Congress recordings: 🔗 https://gitnation.com/events/node-congress-2026?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=JoFranchetti 💬 Don’t just watch — get your toughest architecture questions answered in real-time, be part of the room where Seniors and Architects shape the future, get ahead of the curve. Join us live at the next event! 🔗 https://gitnation.com/events?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=JoFranchetti 🕐 Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 01:02 - Your 20% Off 🤫 01:24 - Shai-Hulud: the self-replicating npm worm that nobody could stop 02:53 - The Chalk attack: 2 billion weekly downloads hijacked with one phishing email 04:04 - Why your CI won't save you: the 3 mechanics behind every supply chain attack 05:41 - Node gives every package your full permissions. Deno doesn't. 06:57 - Post-install scripts: the attack vector hiding in plain sight 08:28 - The gap between npm install and your next CI scan is where malware lives 09:18 - Live demo: running the worm payload against Deno 10:29 - AI wrote your code. Do you actually know what it does? 11:17 - 12,000 live API keys found in AI training data 12:47 - Why this keeps happening: it's structural, not accidental 13:41 - GitHub Copilot got a CVE — and prompt injection just became your problem 14:33 - Model poisoning: 250 documents, 90% backdoor success rate 14:57 - The boring everyday risk: AI code that just deletes the wrong folder 15:53 - Docker vs Deno permissions: honest comparison 17:20 - Deno Sandbox: microVM isolation that starts in 200ms, no Docker needed 18:29 - V8 isolates vs microVMs: two layers explained in 90 seconds 19:46 - Live demo: generating and executing AI code in complete isolation 25:13 - The last unsolved problem: how to pass API keys to untrusted code 26:05 - Live demo: secrets proxy — the code sees a placeholder, never the real key 27:32 - What to actually do: 3 defenses that work right now 29:17 - Q&A: lock files, Kubernetes egress, and safely using AI in your workflow ✍️ This talk was part of Node Congress 2026: npm install && pray | Jo Franchetti 🔗 https://nodecongress.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=JoFranchetti 📌 We’ve hidden a secret code for 20% off your next event. Join our upcoming conferences! 💫 JSNation 2026 June 11 & 15, 2026 (Amsterdam) 🔗https://jsnation.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=JoFranchetti 💫 React Summit, June 12 & 16, 2026 (Amsterdam) https://reactsummit.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=JoFranchetti 💫 TechLeadConf, June 11 & 12, 2026 (Amsterdam) https://techleadconf.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=JoFranchetti and more! 🚀 Check out all the upcoming events from GitNation: 🔗 https://gitnation.com/events?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=JoFranchetti Don't forget to use INSIDER20 promo code for 20% off on tickets. #nodejs #javascript #npm #denosecurity #supplychainattack #cybersecurity #webdev #typescript #deno #npmpackages #softwaresecurity #devops #aicoding #promptinjection #sandboxing #microvm #appsecurity #dependencysecurity #javascriptdeveloper #securecoding #aitools #githubcopilot #llmsecurity #nodecongress #backenddevelopment #softwareengineering #devsecops #malware #opensouce #codesecurity