@a11ign/screenreader-worker@0.13.0
Drives a real NVDA screen reader through real navigation on Windows and returns what it announced. The HTTP contract is the API.
AI Security Review
scanned 5d ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe package’s server startup automatically invokes a Windows helper that performs consequential system changes, including attempting to disable Defender real-time protection. This concrete, default-triggered security impairment supports blocking the package.
Static reason
One or more suspicious static signals were detected.; source matched previously finalized malicious package; routed for review; previous stored version diff introduced dangerous source
Trigger
Run the package’s server executable on Windows.
Impact
System applications may be removed and antivirus real-time protection may be disabled.
Mechanism
At server startup, the code launches the trim helper unless A11Y_SKIP_TRIM is set or a completion marker exists; the helper attempts to remove selected apps and disable Defender.
Attack narrative
Starting the worker on Windows automatically triggers a background system-trimming helper. It may request an elevated scheduled task, remove provisioned apps, and turn off Defender real-time monitoring. The opt-out is an environment variable; the package’s command-line entry starts the behavior by default.
AI rationale
The package’s server startup automatically invokes a Windows helper that performs consequential system changes, including attempting to disable Defender real-time protection. This concrete, default-triggered security impairment supports blocking the package.
Evidence
package.jsondist/server.mjsdist/windows-trim.mjs.windows-trimmed
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Malicious at 98.0% confidence as Malware with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for block
- The package exposes dist/server.mjs as its command-line executable and has no install lifecycle hook.
- Starting the server automatically launches the Windows trim helper unless a platform check, opt-out variable, or completion marker stops it.
- The helper can request an elevated scheduled task, remove provisioned Windows apps, and disable Microsoft Defender real-time monitoring.
- The helper’s Defender routine runs when invoked directly, after the trim routine.
Evidence against
- The worker’s NVDA readiness probe connects only to 127.0.0.1; no remote endpoint is involved in the identified behavior.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessCryptoEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetworkWebSocket
HighEntropyStringsMinified
CopyleftLicense
Source & flagged code
5 flagged · loading sourcedist/windows-trim.mjsView file
1import { execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
L2: import { readFileSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
High
Child Process
Package source references child process execution.
dist/windows-trim.mjsView on unpkg · L1dist/server.mjsView file
•matchType = previous_version_dangerous_delta
matchedPackage = @a11ign/screenreader-worker@0.5.0
matchedIdentity = npm:[redacted]:0.5.0
similarity = 0.391
summary = stored previous version shares package body but lacks this dangerous source file
Critical
Previous Version Dangerous Delta
This package version adds a dangerous source file absent from the previous stored version; route for source-aware review.
dist/server.mjsView on unpkg1Cross-file remote execution chain: dist/server.mjs spawns dist/src_capture-core_ts.mjs; helper contains network access plus dynamic code execution.
L1: import { createServer } from "node:http";
L2: import { appendFileSync, existsSync, openSync, readFileSync, readdirSync, renameSync, statSync, statfsSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
L3: import { execFile, execFileSync, spawn } from "node:child_process";
L4: import { promisify } from "node:util";
...
L8: import { extname, join, resolve as external_node_path_resolve } from "node:path";
L9: import { inflateRawSync } from "node:zlib";
L10: import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
...
L22: function powershellValue(script) {
L23: if ("win32" !== process.platform) return "unknown";
L24: try {
...
L47: try {
L48: const { stdout } = await execF
Findings
1 Critical3 High4 Medium4 Low
CriticalPrevious Version Dangerous Deltadist/server.mjs
HighChild Processdist/windows-trim.mjs
HighCross File Remote Execution Contextdist/server.mjs
HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/src_capture-core_ts.mjs
MediumNetwork
MediumEnvironment Vars
MediumShips Build Helperlauncher/apply-foreground-lock-timeout.ps1
MediumStructural Risk Force Deep Review
LowScripts Present
LowFilesystem
LowHigh Entropy Strings
LowCopyleft License
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to @a11ign/screenreader-worker@0.13.0.
See all versions of @a11ign/screenreader-worker for other recorded verdicts.
- Avoid installing @a11ign/screenreader-worker@0.13.0. Remove it from direct dependencies and check your lockfile for transitive copies.
- Choose an independently verified alternative or release. This report does not establish that other versions are safe.
- If this version ran, investigate the affected machine and build environment. Rotate credentials it could access and rebuild from a trusted environment.
Evidence last updated: .
Think this verdict is wrong? Dispute it on GitHub or read how reports are produced.