T08 · Insecure Dependencies
Warning
- Location
- SKILL.md:5
- Finding
- Unpinned Global Installation of a Third-Party npm Package## Vulnerability Details **File Location**: `SKILL.md`, lines 5 and 13 **Vulnerability Type**: Unpinned third-party dependency installed globally **Risk Level**: Medium ### Vulnerable Code Snippets ```yaml metadata: {"openclaw":{"emoji":"🧭","requires":{"bins":["browsecraft"]},"install":[{"id":"npm","kind":"node","package":"browsecraft-cli","bins":["browsecraft"],"label":"Install BrowseCraft CLI (npm)"}]}} ``` ```markdown 1. Install CLI: `npm install -g browsecraft-cli` ``` ### Technical Analysis The skill instructs users to install `browsecraft-cli` from the npm registry without specifying an exact reviewed version or validating package integrity. The `-g` option installs the package globally for the current npm environment and exposes its executable through the user's command search path. Because no version is pinned, the installed code is whichever release npm resolves at installation time rather than a release that was examined during this audit. A malicious future release, compromised maintainer account, or compromised package distribution channel could therefore alter the effective behavior after review. npm may also execute package lifecycle scripts during installation, allowing package-supplied code to run immediately with the privileges of the user performing the installation. No evidence in the audited file establishes that `browsecraft-cli` is currently malicious. The finding concerns the unsafe and mutable dependency acquisition process. ### Attack Path 1. An attacker compromises the npm package, its publisher account, or its release process and publishes a malicious version of `browsecraft-cli`. 2. A user follows the skill's instruction to run `npm install -g browsecraft-cli`. 3. npm resolves the attacker-controlled release because the instruction provides no exact version or integrity constraint. 4. Malicious lifecycle code may execute during installation, or the globally installed `browsecraft` execut ...[truncated 837 chars]
- Remediation
- ## Remediation Suggestions 1. Pin the dependency to an exact reviewed version, for example: ```bash npm install --global --ignore-scripts browsecraft-cli@X.Y.Z ``` Replace `X.Y.Z` with a verified release. 2. Verify the package publisher, provenance, release signatures where available, and expected registry before installation. 3. Record and validate the expected package integrity digest rather than trusting only the package name and version. 4. Avoid global installation when feasible. Install the dependency in an isolated project or container with a committed lockfile and invoke the pinned local binary. 5. Disable npm lifecycle scripts during installation when they are not required. If they are required, review those scripts and their transitive execution paths before permitting them. 6. Audit and lock transitive dependencies using reproducible installation controls such as a lockfile and `npm ci`. 7. Run browser automation with a dedicated, least-privileged account or sandbox, and provide only the credentials and filesystem access required for the requested workflow. 8. Document the verified source repository, publisher identity, approved version, integrity value, and update-review procedure in `SKILL.md`.