# The Code You Didn't Write

DevFeed: [The Code You Didn't Write](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/the-code-you-didn-t-write-9453.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://joncphillips.com/the-code-you-didnt-write/>)

Author: Jon C. Phillips

Published: 2026-07-12T16:51:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Jon C. Phillips](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/jon-c-phillips.md>)

Topics: [Code](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/code.md>), [JavaScript](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/javascript.md>), [payload](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/payload.md>), [Back end](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/backend.md>), [Blockchain](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/blockchain.md>), [Resilience](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/resilience.md>)

Tags: [analysis](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/analysis.md>), [articles](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/articles.md>), [audience-building](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/audience-building.md>), [backend](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/backend.md>), [code](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/code.md>), [design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/design.md>), [developers](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developers.md>), [digital-products](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/digital-products.md>), [javascript](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/javascript.md>), [music](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/music.md>), [payload](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/payload.md>), [photography](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/photography.md>), [product-engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/product-engineering.md>), [resilience](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/resilience.md>), [side-projects](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/side-projects.md>), [the-code-you-didn-t-write](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/the-code-you-didn-t-write.md>), [web-development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/web-development.md>)

## AI overview

A developer discovers obfuscated JavaScript embedded in a backend file that executes automatically when the application starts. Static analysis reveals a throttled loader that retrieves encrypted commands through attacker-controlled blockchain transactions, decrypts the payload, and executes it.

## Source excerpt

I pulled down a codebase for some work, like I normally do. I cloned the repo, installed the dependencies, spun it up locally, and started poking around to get my bearings. Then things started looking strange.