Chainguard Extends Its Supply Chain Fortress to JavaScript Dependencies

The world’s most widely used programming language just got a major security upgrade. Chainguard, a company best known for rebuilding open source software from the ground up, has launched Chainguard Libraries for JavaScript—a curated collection of malware-resistant packages rebuilt from source on SLSA Level 2 infrastructure.

The release is designed to shore up one of the most fragile links in modern software: the sprawling web of JavaScript dependencies that power nearly every website and app. By reconstructing each library—and all of its hidden sub-dependencies—from source, Chainguard is attempting to shut down a common avenue for attackers: slipping malicious code into popular registries like npm.

A Real and Growing Threat

The JavaScript ecosystem has long been a playground for hackers, with registry compromises routinely affecting millions of developers. Earlier this month, malicious code was found embedded in several high-traffic packages, underscoring how vulnerable the supply chain has become.

Complicating matters, the explosion of AI-driven development has only multiplied both the volume and complexity of these dependencies, widening the attack surface. Industry analysts warn the financial impact will be staggering: Gartner projects software supply chain attacks could cost organizations $138 billion annually by 2031.

A Different Model of Trust

Chainguard’s model sidesteps the problem at its root. Instead of trusting public registries, the company independently rebuilds every package and verifies that what developers download actually matches the source code. The new JavaScript offering integrates with popular artifact managers like JFrog Artifactory and Sonatype Nexus, making it possible to tighten defenses without forcing engineering teams to overhaul their workflows.

"Chainguard is the first to rebuild JavaScript libraries from source at scale. We are expanding on the work already completed with Chainguard Libraries for Java and Python to JavaScript, the most popular programming language in the world," said Patrick Donahue, SVP of Product at Chainguard. "We're rebuilding every component we publish from source so organizations can mitigate malware, have clear visibility into what exactly is in their software, and eliminate the risk of hidden supply chain vulnerabilities. Ultimately, we're providing a secure, trusted source of JavaScript libraries that allows enterprises to remove friction and add security without asking developers to change how they build and deploy software."

The approach effectively quarantines another overlooked risk: the bundled system components that come along for the ride inside many JavaScript libraries. By isolating and rebuilding those as well, Chainguard reduces an attack vector most enterprises can’t even see, let alone control.

Why It Matters

Security experts and analysts say this model could reshape how enterprises handle open source risk.

"The recent compromises in popular npm packages highlight just how easy it still is for attackers to slip malicious code into the software supply chain. Chainguard's approach to open source software security flips that paradigm — by rebuilding every JavaScript library from source, they will give development teams a way to eliminate common supply chain attacks and actually have a trusted source for packaged libraries. The open source community has done a herculean effort to bring software to the masses, but policing it falls to commercial entities," said Rob Gil, Security Architect at Okta.

"JavaScript has long been the backbone of modern application development, but the ecosystem's dependency sprawl and security gaps come with risks," explains Kate Holterhoff, senior analyst at RedMonk. "Chainguard's decision to rebuild libraries from source addresses these risks by providing a trusted supply of JavaScript dependencies that is more able to resist malware."

Expanding the Secure Software Stack

The JavaScript expansion builds on Chainguard’s existing ecosystem of hardened tools—from minimal, zero-CVE container images to trusted libraries for Python and Java. Together, the portfolio represents a push toward making open source software “trustworthy by default,” a philosophy that aims to give enterprises both velocity and peace of mind in shipping applications.

Chainguard Libraries for JavaScript is currently in closed beta, with a waitlist open at chainguard.dev/libraries.