T08 · Insecure Dependencies
- Location
README.md:7- Finding
Execution of an Unpinned Third-Party Package
- Content
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Vulnerability Details
File Location:
README.md, line 7
Vulnerability Type: Unpinned and mutable third-party dependency execution
Risk Level: MediumVulnerable Code Snippet:
bash npx clawhub@latest install health-trackerTechnical Analysis
The installation command directs
npxto resolve and execute the mutablelatestrelease of the third-partyclawhubpackage. The project does not pin an audited package version or provide an integrity hash, lockfile, or provenance verification mechanism for this command.Because the
latesttag can be reassigned to a different release after this project has been reviewed, the code ultimately executed by users may differ from the version expected by the project author. This creates a supply-chain trust boundary outside the audited repository.The reviewed package itself contains only documentation and metadata; no embedded malicious script or confirmed malicious remote payload was found. Exploitation therefore depends on compromise or malicious control of the referenced package, its publisher account, or the relevant package-distribution infrastructure.
Attack Path
- An attacker compromises the
clawhubpackage, its publisher account, or an associated release process. - The attacker publishes a malicious release and assigns it to the
latestdistribution tag. - A user follows the installation command in
README.md. npxresolves, downloads, and executes the attacker-controlled release.- The malicious package runs with the permissions of the user who invoked the command.
Impact Assessment
Successful exploitation could allow arbitrary code execution within the invoking user's security context. Depending on that user's privileges and environment, the malicious package could access user-readable files, environment variables, developer credentials, project data, and network resources, or modify files writable by that user.
The ...[truncated 245 chars]
- An attacker compromises the
- Remediation
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Remediation Suggestions
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Replace the mutable
latesttag with an explicitly pinned, reviewed package version, for example:bash npx clawhub@<audited-exact-version> install health-tracker -
Verify the selected package version's publisher, provenance, release signatures, and registry integrity metadata before recommending execution.
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Use lockfiles and integrity hashes where the installation workflow supports them.
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Prefer installing the dependency through a controlled dependency-management process and invoking the locally locked binary instead of dynamically downloading and executing it.
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In CI/CD environments, restrict package lifecycle scripts, network access, filesystem permissions, and available credentials during installation.
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Establish a controlled update process in which new versions are reviewed and tested before the documented version pin is changed.
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