Socket is a software supply chain security tool that analyzes open source packages for malicious behavior and security vulnerabilities. It monitors packages published to npm and PyPI registries, detecting and blocking threats before they reach developers' environments. The tool performs automated analysis of package code to identify behaviors such as: - Data exfiltration (e.g., sending system information, credentials, environment variables, SSH keys, clipboard data to remote servers) - Remote code execution patterns (e.g., downloading and running remote payloads) - Obfuscation and anti-debugging techniques - Backdoor installation (e.g., VNC servers, unauthorized remote access vectors) - Covert telemetry and privacy-invasive data collection - Credential harvesting and session token theft - Typosquatting and package impersonation Socket provides real-time protection by blocking malicious packages at the point of installation. It detects threats while packages are live on registries — often before they are removed — and provides detailed security alerts with actionable remediation advice. Users can also search and compare millions of open source packages to evaluate their security posture and overall health before adopting them as dependencies.