T08 · Insecure Dependencies
Warning
- Location
SKILL.md:20- Finding
Unpinned Third-Party Package Download and Execution via npx
- Content
View full analysis
&1 & WSCAT_PID=$! sleep 3 kill $WSCAT_PID 2>/dev/null ``` ### Technical Analysis The documented command invokes `wscat` through `npx` without specifying an exact package version, integrity information, lockfile, or trusted installation source. If the package is not already available locally, `npx` may retrieve the currently resolved version from the configured package registry and immediately execute it. Consequently, the code that runs can differ from the version originally reviewed. This creates exposure to upstream package compromise, registry or configuration manipulation, unexpected package updates, and malicious local package resolution. Package lifecycle scripts or the package's runtime code execute under the account that invokes the command. Although the package name does not appear to be a typographical imitation, the unpinned download-and-execute workflow removes reproducibility and weakens supply-chain controls. ### Attack Path 1. A user or Agent follows the Skill's connection-testing instructions. 2. The system does not have a trusted, locally locked copy of `wscat`. 3. `npx` resolves the unpinned package using the active npm registry and local npm configuration. 4. An attacker compromises the upstream package, influences the configured registry, or otherwise causes a malicious package version to be resolved. 5. `npx` downloads and executes that code without a separate review step. 6. The malicious package executes with the filesystem, network, environment-variable, and process privileges of the invoking user. ### Impact Assessment Successful exploitation would permit arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user running the Skill. Potential consequences include: - Reading or modify ...[truncated 447 chars]- Remediation
View remediation
-c "wss://$HOST/ws" ``` - Prefer declaring the package in a committed `package.json` and lockfile, installing with `npm ci`, and invoking the locked local binary: ```bash npm ci --ignore-scripts ./node_modules/.bin/wscat -c "wss://$HOST/ws" ``` - Review whether disabling lifecycle scripts is compatible with the selected package before using `--ignore-scripts`. - Configure npm to use an approved registry and verify package provenance. - Use lockfile integrity hashes and dependency-scanning controls. - Avoid automatically downloading and executing dependencies during routine endpoint testing. - Document the reviewed package version and update it through a controlled security-review process. ]]>