T08 · Insecure Dependencies
Warning
- Location
- README.md:35
- Finding
- Unpinned Third-Party Package Execution During Installation## Vulnerability Details **File Location**: `README.md`, line 35 **Vulnerability Type**: Unpinned third-party dependency executed through `npx` **Risk Level**: Medium ### Vulnerable Code ```bash # Install through npx skills (SkillHub) npx skills install board-secretary ``` ### Technical Analysis The documented installation command invokes the generic third-party npm package `skills` without specifying a version, integrity hash, trusted registry, or verified publisher. If the package is not already available locally, `npx` may retrieve the currently published version and execute its code with the invoking user's privileges. Consequently, the code executed during installation is not fixed to the version reviewed in this audit. A compromised npm package, malicious future release, package-name takeover, registry substitution, or unexpected upstream change could introduce arbitrary behavior without modifying this repository. The project also documents manual installation, which does not require executing this package and represents a safer alternative. ### Attack Path 1. An attacker compromises the npm account, package, publication process, or registry source associated with the unpinned `skills` package. 2. The attacker publishes a malicious package release under the expected package name. 3. A user follows the installation command in `README.md`. 4. `npx` resolves and downloads the attacker-controlled current package version. 5. The malicious package executes in the user's environment as part of the installation command. 6. The payload performs actions permitted by the user's operating-system account. ### Impact Assessment Successful exploitation could permit arbitrary command execution with the privileges of the user running the installation command. Depending on that user's permissions and environment, the attacker could access or modify user-readable files, credentials, source repositories, agent configuration, or installed skills; initiate network co ...[truncated 298 chars]
- Remediation
- ## Remediation Suggestions 1. Pin the installer package to a specific reviewed version: ```bash npx skills@<verified-version> install board-secretary ``` 2. Document the official npm package name, expected publisher, registry, and validated version so users can verify provenance before execution. 3. Where supported, require integrity verification using a trusted checksum, lockfile, package signature, or npm integrity metadata. 4. Avoid floating tags such as `latest` in security-sensitive installation instructions. 5. Recommend the documented manual installation method as the safer default when the installer package cannot be cryptographically verified. 6. Advise users to run installation with a non-privileged account and review the resolved package metadata and lifecycle scripts before execution. 7. Periodically audit the pinned package and update the version only after reviewing upstream changes.