T08 · Insecure Dependencies
Note
- Location
- SKILL.md:154
- Finding
- Unpinned Third-Party Dependency Installation## Vulnerability Details **File Location**: `SKILL.md`, lines 154–158 **Vulnerability Type**: Unpinned third-party dependency **Risk Level**: Low ### Vulnerable Code ```markdown ## Dependencies ```bash pip3 install requests ``` ``` The same unpinned installation requirement is also referenced at line 29: ```markdown **Option 2: Python script (requires: pip3 install requests)** ``` ### Technical Analysis The documented installation command retrieves the currently available version of `requests` and its transitive dependencies from the user's configured Python package index. The project provides no version constraint, lock file, package hashes, or index restriction. Consequently, the dependency graph may change after this Skill has been audited. If a future package release, transitive dependency, or configured package repository is compromised, following the documented command could install attacker-controlled code. This is a supply-chain hardening weakness; the audit found no evidence that the current `requests` package is malicious. ### Attack Path 1. An attacker compromises a future release of `requests`, one of its transitive dependencies, or a Python package index configured on the victim's system. 2. A user follows the documented `pip3 install requests` instruction. 3. Pip resolves and downloads the mutable dependency set without validating project-supplied hashes. 4. The compromised package is installed in the selected Python environment. 5. Attacker-controlled code may run during package installation or when `scripts/current_weather.py` or `scripts/forecast.py` imports the dependency. ### Impact Assessment Successful exploitation could execute code with the privileges of the user running pip or invoking the weather scripts. The potential scope includes files, credentials, environment variables, and network resources accessible to that user. The impact would be greater if installation is performed in a privileged environment, although the pro ...[truncated 48 chars]
- Remediation
- ## Remediation Suggestions 1. Create a reviewed dependency file that pins `requests` and every transitive dependency to exact versions. 2. Generate and record cryptographic hashes for all approved distributions. 3. Replace the installation instruction with a hash-enforcing command, for example: ```bash python3 -m pip install --require-hashes -r requirements.txt ``` 4. Regularly review and update pinned dependencies using automated vulnerability and provenance checks. 5. Use an explicitly trusted package index in controlled deployments. 6. Consider replacing `requests` with Python's standard-library HTTP client to eliminate this external runtime dependency. 7. Recommend installation in an isolated virtual environment and explicitly discourage privileged installation.