@a11ign/screenreader-worker@0.13.3
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 server’s default Windows startup path triggers a helper that attempts elevated system changes, including disabling Defender real-time monitoring. This concrete security-disabling behavior supports blocking publication.
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
Launching the a11ign-nvda-worker server on Windows when trimming is not skipped and its completion marker is absent.
Impact
If the changes succeed, Windows protection and services such as updates are disabled, reducing host security.
Mechanism
The server starts a detached helper; the helper attempts a highest-privilege scheduled task, removes selected provisioned apps, disables configured services, and attempts to disable Defender real-time monitoring.
Attack narrative
Running the package’s server on Windows automatically starts a detached system-trimming helper unless an environment variable or marker suppresses it. The helper attempts to run at the highest privilege, removes selected provisioned apps, disables configured services, and calls Windows Defender settings to disable real-time monitoring. This is an unconsented reduction of host security.
AI rationale
The server’s default Windows startup path triggers a helper that attempts elevated system changes, including disabling Defender real-time monitoring. This concrete security-disabling behavior supports blocking publication.
Evidence
package.jsondist/server.mjsdist/windows-trim.mjs.windows-trimmed
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Malicious at 99.0% confidence as Malware with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for block
- package.json exposes dist/server.mjs as the a11ign-nvda-worker command.
- When the server starts on Windows, it starts a detached windows-trim helper unless trimming is skipped or already marked complete.
- If the helper lacks elevation, it attempts to register and start itself as a highest-privilege scheduled task.
- The helper removes selected provisioned apps and disables configured Windows services.
- The helper attempts to disable Windows Defender real-time monitoring and reports whether it succeeded.
Evidence against
- The behavior is Windows-only and has an environment-variable skip option, but neither requires affirmative consent.
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@0.13.3.
See all versions of @a11ign/screenreader-worker for other recorded verdicts.
- Avoid installing @a11ign/screenreader-worker@0.13.3. 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.