T08 · Insecure Dependencies
Warning
- Location
- README.md:14
- Finding
- Unpinned npm Packages Are Downloaded and Executed During Installation<![CDATA[ ## Vulnerability Details **File Location**: `README.md:14` and `README.md:20` **Vulnerability Type**: Supply-chain exposure through unpinned executable dependencies **Risk Level**: Medium ### Vulnerable Code ```bash npx clawhub@latest install agent-briefing ``` ```bash npx skills add agent-briefing ``` ### Technical Analysis The documented installation procedures invoke npm packages through `npx` without pinning them to audited versions or verifying their integrity. The first command explicitly selects the mutable `latest` distribution tag. The second command does not specify any version, so npm also resolves it according to the registry's current package metadata. Because `npx` can download and execute package code, the effective installation logic can change after this project has been reviewed. The repository contains no lockfile, package integrity hash, signature-verification procedure, or other mechanism that binds these installation commands to known artifacts. This creates a supply-chain trust dependency on the npm registry, the package maintainers, and their publishing credentials. ### Attack Path 1. An attacker compromises the `clawhub` or `skills` package, a maintainer account, or its npm release pipeline. 2. The attacker publishes a malicious version and assigns it to the version range selected by the documented command. 3. A user follows the installation instructions in `README.md`. 4. `npx` downloads and executes the newly published package. 5. The malicious installer runs with the privileges of the user invoking `npx`. ### Impact Assessment Successful exploitation could permit arbitrary code execution under the installing user's account. Depending on that user's privileges and environment, the malicious package could access user-readable files, developer credentials, environment variables, source repositories, and network resources or modify files owned by the user. The audited repository does not itself contain such a malicio ...[truncated 179 chars]
- Remediation
- <![CDATA[ ## Remediation Suggestions 1. Replace mutable package references with exact, reviewed versions, for example: ```bash npx clawhub@1.2.3 install agent-briefing npx skills@4.5.6 add agent-briefing ``` 2. Publish and document expected integrity hashes or signed release artifacts. 3. Use npm provenance and require verified package publishing where available. 4. Document the official npm package owners and repository links so users can detect similarly named or spoofed packages. 5. Prefer a locally locked installer dependency or a verified release archive rather than executing the current registry release directly. 6. Periodically review pinned versions and update them only after examining the package source and release provenance. ]]>