@a11ign/screenreader-worker@0.13.2
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 4d ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe startup-triggered helper makes broad system changes and attempts to disable a core security protection. This is concrete destructive behavior, so the package warrants a block.
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
The server starts on Windows, unless the trim skip setting is enabled or its marker indicates completion.
Impact
These changes can weaken system security and disrupt Windows features or updates.
Mechanism
The helper performs Windows package and service changes, then attempts to disable Defender real-time monitoring.
Attack narrative
The package's command starts the server, which runs the Windows trim routine at startup. The routine can disable services and attempts to disable Defender real-time monitoring. Although it is limited to Windows and includes skip and marker checks, the default startup path performs security-impacting system changes without a separate approval step in the inspected source.
AI rationale
The startup-triggered helper makes broad system changes and attempts to disable a core security protection. This is concrete destructive behavior, so the package warrants a block.
Evidence
package.jsondist/server.mjsdist/windows-trim.mjs
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Malicious at 96.0% confidence as Malware with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for block
- The package exposes the server as the a11ign-nvda-worker command.
- When the server starts on Windows, it launches the trim helper unless the skip setting is enabled or a marker exists.
- The helper removes selected provisioned Windows apps and disables configured services.
- The helper attempts to turn off Windows Defender real-time monitoring and runs that attempt when launched directly.
Evidence against
- The trim runs only on Windows and has skip and marker checks; the source describes the changes as appliance trimming.
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@0.13.2.
See all versions of @a11ign/screenreader-worker for other recorded verdicts.
- Avoid installing @a11ign/screenreader-worker@0.13.2. 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.