T08 · Insecure Dependencies
- Location
SKILL.md:29- Finding
Unpinned Third-Party Dependencies Installed from Public Registries
- Content
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Vulnerability Details
File Location:
SKILL.md, lines 29-30 and 208
Vulnerability Type: Supply-chain exposure through unpinned dependencies
Risk Level: MediumVulnerable Code Snippet
markdown - **Python path**: Requires `fastmcp` package (`pip install fastmcp`). Optional: `httpx` for HTTP clients, `pytest` for testing. - **TypeScript path**: Requires `@modelcontextprotocol/sdk` and `zod` packages (`npm install`). Optional: `tsx` for development.markdown - **Commands suggested**: `pip install fastmcp`, `npm install @modelcontextprotocol/sdk` — these install packages from public registries. Review package names before running.Technical Analysis
The Skill recommends installing third-party packages without specifying reviewed versions, lockfiles, cryptographic hashes, or registry integrity controls. Commands such as
pip install fastmcpandnpm install @modelcontextprotocol/sdkresolve mutable package versions from public registries.Package installation may execute package build hooks or npm lifecycle scripts with the privileges of the user running the package manager. If a direct or transitive dependency is compromised, unexpectedly replaced, or resolves to a malicious release, following the documented instructions could result in local code execution.
Installing these dependencies is relevant to the declared MCP server-building functionality. However, using unconstrained versions is not the minimum-risk method of obtaining them. The audit did not identify evidence that the named packages are currently malicious, so this finding concerns unsafe dependency acquisition rather than a confirmed malicious payload.
Attack Path
- An attacker compromises a recommended direct dependency, one of its transitive dependencies, or the associated registry publishing account.
- The attacker publishes a malicious version that satisfies the unconstrained dependency request.
- A user fol ...[truncated 1089 chars]
- Remediation
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Remediation Suggestions
- Pin every direct dependency to an explicitly reviewed version rather than resolving the latest available release.
- Provide lockfiles for generated projects, such as
uv.lock, a hash-locked Python requirements file, orpackage-lock.json. - For Python, use hash verification such as
pip install --require-hashes -r requirements.txt. - For npm, use a committed lockfile and recommend
npm cifor reproducible installation. - Document the expected package registry and avoid untrusted mirrors or alternate indexes.
- Require explicit user approval before running installation commands; do not automatically install dependencies during scaffolding.
- Recommend installation inside a dedicated virtual environment, container, or other non-privileged development sandbox.
- Add dependency vulnerability and provenance checks, such as
pip-audit,npm audit, registry signature verification where available, and periodic review of pinned versions. - Warn users not to execute package-manager commands as root or an administrator.