T08 · Insecure Dependencies
- Location
SKILL.md:342- Finding
Unpinned Third-Party Package Installation
- Content
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Vulnerability Details
File Location:
SKILL.md, line 342
Vulnerability Type: Unpinned dependency installation
Risk Level: MediumComplete Code Snippet:
markdown | Ansible | CLI | Required | >= 2.15, `pip install ansible` |Technical Analysis
The documented command installs Ansible and its transitive dependencies from the active Python package index without specifying an exact version, package hashes, or an explicitly trusted index. The
>= 2.15documentation does not constrain the actualpip install ansiblecommand.Because package resolution is mutable, the code installed and executed can change after this skill has been reviewed. Installation hooks and subsequently invoked package code execute with the permissions of the user or automation agent performing the installation. This creates a supply-chain exposure if the package index, a future release, or a transitive dependency is compromised.
Attack Path
- An operator or AI agent follows the dependency instructions and runs
pip install ansible. - Pip queries the environment's configured package index and resolves the latest eligible package and transitive dependencies.
- A compromised release, dependency, index, or maliciously configured package source supplies attacker-controlled code.
- The malicious code executes during installation or when Ansible is subsequently invoked.
- It accesses data and permissions available to the installation process, potentially including cloud profiles, environment credentials, infrastructure files, and network access.
Impact Assessment
Successful exploitation could provide arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user or automation agent installing or running Ansible. In the documented cloud-operations context, the affected process may have access to AWS, GCP, or Azure credentials and Terraform state. The resulting scope could include credential disclosu ...[truncated 105 chars]
- An operator or AI agent follows the dependency instructions and runs
- Remediation
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Remediation Suggestions
- Replace the mutable installation command with an audited, exact package version.
- Pin every transitive dependency in a reviewed lock or requirements file.
- Record and verify cryptographic hashes, and install with
pip --require-hashes. - Explicitly configure an approved package index rather than inheriting an unknown environment configuration.
- Install dependencies in an isolated virtual environment or container under a nonprivileged account.
- Scan and periodically review locked dependencies before updating them.
- Keep cloud credentials unavailable during dependency installation whenever possible.
Example hardened workflow:
bash python3 -m venv .venv . .venv/bin/activate python -m pip install --index-url https://pypi.org/simple \ --require-hashes -r requirements.lockThe
requirements.lockfile should contain exact versions and reviewed SHA-256 hashes for Ansible and all transitive dependencies.