T08 · Insecure Dependencies
Warning
- Location
- requirements.txt:1
- Finding
- Unpinned Third-Party Dependencies Permit Unreviewed Package Resolution## Vulnerability Details **File Location**: `requirements.txt:1-2` **Related Installation Instruction**: `SKILL.md:165-168` **Vulnerability Type**: Insecure dependency version constraints **Risk Level**: Medium ### Complete Vulnerable Code Snippet From `requirements.txt`: ```text pandas>=2.0.0 openpyxl>=3.1.0 ``` Related installation instruction from `SKILL.md`: ```markdown Install dependencies with: \```text pip install -r requirements.txt \``` ``` ### Technical Analysis The dependency file specifies minimum versions rather than exact, reviewed versions. Consequently, `pip install -r requirements.txt` can resolve any newer release satisfying the constraints, including versions that did not exist when the skill was audited. No lock file or cryptographic hashes restrict package resolution to verified artifacts. Python package installation may execute package build hooks or other installation-time code with the permissions of the user running `pip`. If an allowed package or a transitive dependency is compromised, a user following the documented installation command could execute attacker-controlled code locally. This is a supply-chain hardening deficiency rather than evidence that the currently named packages are malicious. The audit found no malicious code in the bundled scripts. In addition, `openpyxl` is not imported by either bundled Python script, so its inclusion unnecessarily expands the dependency surface. ### Attack Path 1. An attacker compromises a future release of an allowed package or one of its transitive dependencies. 2. The malicious release remains compatible with `pandas>=2.0.0` or `openpyxl>=3.1.0`. 3. A user follows the installation command in `SKILL.md`. 4. The package resolver selects the compromised release because no exact version or artifact hash is enforced. 5. Malicious installation or runtime code executes under the account invoking `pip`. ### Impact Assessment Successful exploitation could provide arbitrary code exec ...[truncated 452 chars]
- Remediation
- ## Remediation Suggestions 1. Pin every direct dependency to an exact, reviewed version: ```text pandas==<reviewed-version> ``` 2. Generate a fully resolved lock file that also pins transitive dependencies. 3. Record cryptographic hashes for all permitted distributions and install with hash verification, for example: ```bash python -m pip install --require-hashes -r requirements.lock ``` 4. Retrieve dependencies only from a trusted, explicitly configured package index. 5. Review dependency updates before regenerating the lock file, including release provenance and vulnerability advisories. 6. Remove `openpyxl` unless a documented execution path genuinely requires it. 7. Recommend installation in an isolated virtual environment under a non-privileged account. 8. In CI, verify that the lock file is current and reject dependency changes that lack security review.