T08 · Insecure Dependencies
Warning
- Location
- README.md:12
- Finding
- Unpinned npm CLI Execution During Installation## Vulnerability Details **File Location**: `README.md`, line 12 **Vulnerability Type**: Unpinned third-party executable dependency **Risk Level**: Medium ### Vulnerable Code ```bash npx skills add AntreasAntoniou/pulse ``` ### Technical Analysis The installation instructions invoke the third-party `skills` npm CLI through `npx` without specifying an exact package version or integrity value. Depending on the local npm environment, `npx` may retrieve and execute the currently resolved release from the npm registry. Because the CLI implementation is not included in this repository and the command does not pin a reviewed artifact, the code executed by users can differ from the code available when this skill was audited. This creates a supply-chain trust boundary in which a compromised package release, maintainer account, or registry response could result in arbitrary code execution during installation. The repository itself contains no embedded executable payload, and this finding concerns the documented external installation process rather than malicious code confirmed inside the audited package. ### Attack Path 1. An attacker compromises the npm package, its publisher account, or another part of the package distribution chain for the package resolved as `skills`. 2. The attacker publishes or serves a modified release containing malicious lifecycle or CLI behavior. 3. A user follows the documented unpinned `npx skills add AntreasAntoniou/pulse` command. 4. `npx` retrieves the mutable package version selected by npm resolution. 5. The package's CLI executes with the permissions of the user running the installation. 6. The malicious process can access or modify resources available to that user. ### Impact Assessment Successful exploitation could provide arbitrary code execution under the installing user's account. The resulting scope may include reading user-accessible files, modifying local configuration, accessing credentials exposed to that process, in ...[truncated 280 chars]
- Remediation
- ## Remediation Suggestions - Pin the installer CLI to an exact, reviewed version: ```bash npx --yes skills@<reviewed-exact-version> add AntreasAntoniou/pulse ``` - Do not use a floating tag such as `latest` or a semver range for security-sensitive installation documentation. - Document the expected npm package publisher, registry, version, and package provenance so users can verify that they resolved the intended artifact. - Publish and document a trusted integrity digest or signature verification procedure where the distribution mechanism supports it. - Review the pinned CLI release, including lifecycle scripts and transitive dependencies, before recommending it. - Prefer a trusted host-native skill installation mechanism that does not execute a mutable remote CLI when one is available. - Retest and deliberately update the pinned version after reviewing future releases rather than silently inheriting them.