T08 · Insecure Dependencies
- Location
SKILL.md:141- Finding
Unnecessary Unpinned Third-Party Dependency Installation
- Content
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Vulnerability Details
File Location:
SKILL.md, line 141
Vulnerability Type: Unpinned and unnecessary third-party dependency
Risk Level: LowComplete Code Snippet:
bash # Ensure the Python environment is available python3 --version # ... # Dependency instructions pip install requestsTechnical Analysis
The environment setup instructs the agent to install
requestswithout a version constraint or package hash. The documented DOCX implementation importsDocumentfromdocxand does not userequests, so the package is unnecessary for the demonstrated local document-processing functionality.Installing an unpinned package resolves its version and transitive dependencies from the currently configured package index at execution time. This prevents reproducible dependency verification and unnecessarily increases supply-chain exposure. Exploitation would require compromise or malicious substitution of the selected package, one of its transitive dependencies, or the configured package repository. The reviewed file does not itself specify a malicious repository or confirmed malicious package.
Attack Path
- An agent follows the environment preparation instructions in
SKILL.md. - The agent executes
pip install requestsusing the environment's configured package index. pipdynamically resolves the latest eligible package release and its transitive dependencies.- If the repository, selected release, or dependency chain has been compromised, attacker-controlled installation or package code may enter the environment.
- Such code may execute during installation or when the installed package is later imported or invoked.
Impact Assessment
Successful exploitation could execute code with the privileges of the user or agent running
pip. The resulting access could include files, environment variables, credentials, and network capabilities available to that account. It doe ...[truncated 387 chars]- An agent follows the environment preparation instructions in
- Remediation
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Remediation Suggestions
- Remove
pip install requestsbecause the documented DOCX example does not use the package. - Declare only the required
python-docxdependency in a dedicated, reviewed dependency manifest. - Pin each required dependency and its transitive dependencies to audited versions.
- Use hash verification, such as
pip install --require-hashes -r requirements.txt, to prevent installation of unverified artifacts. - Install dependencies from a trusted, explicitly configured package index.
- Perform installation in an isolated virtual environment or container under a non-privileged account.
- Apply automated dependency vulnerability and provenance scanning before publishing updated Skill instructions.
- Remove
