T08 · Insecure Dependencies
- Location
SKILL.md:151- Finding
Unpinned Executable Dependency Installed from a Third-Party Homebrew Tap
- Content
View full analysis
Vulnerability Details
File Location:
SKILL.md, lines 151-155
Vulnerability Type: Supply-chain exposure through an unpinned executable dependency
Risk Level: HighVulnerable Code
bash brew install porteden/tap/porteden # Login porteden auth login # Or use an API key export PE_API_KEY="${API_KEY:?API key environment variable must be set}"The same unpinned installation command is repeated at line 193.
Technical Analysis
The Skill instructs users or agents to install the
portedenexecutable from the third-party Homebrew tapporteden/tapwithout specifying a reviewed version, immutable commit, cryptographic checksum, or signature-verification process.The installed executable is subsequently used for authentication and calendar operations. It may therefore receive an API key, OAuth authorization, calendar data, and permission to create, update, or delete events. Because the dependency is mutable, the code executed during a future installation can differ from the code that existed when the Skill was audited.
This does not establish that the current package is malicious. It creates a supply-chain weakness under which compromise of the tap, formula, release infrastructure, or publisher account could introduce attacker-controlled executable code.
Attack Path
- An attacker compromises the Homebrew tap, its publisher account, or an artifact referenced by its formula.
- The attacker publishes a modified release while retaining the expected package and command names.
- A user or agent follows the Skill instruction and runs
brew install porteden/tap/porteden. - Homebrew installs the modified executable because no immutable version, checksum-validation procedure, or trusted signature requirement is specified by the Skill.
- The user runs
porteden auth loginor exposesPE_API_KEYin the process environment. - The compromised executable accesses the granted calendar author ...[truncated 636 chars]
- Remediation
View remediation
Remediation Suggestions
- Pin the dependency to a reviewed, immutable version or commit rather than installing the latest mutable release.
- Document the canonical source repository and expected publisher identity.
- Publish and verify cryptographic checksums or signed release artifacts before installation.
- Prefer a trusted package source with transparent provenance, reproducible builds, and protected release workflows.
- Avoid making package installation an automatic Agent action; require explicit user approval before installing executable software.
- Request only the minimum calendar OAuth scopes required for the requested operation.
- Run the CLI in a sandbox with restricted filesystem and environment access.
- Document a dependency update process that requires security review before changing the pinned version.
