@a11ign/screenreader-worker@0.13.4
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 worker performs broad system changes and attempts to disable antivirus protection during ordinary Windows startup, with an automatic elevation path. This concrete destructive behavior warrants 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
Starting the server command on Windows, unless the trim is skipped by environment setting or marker.
Impact
Changes can remove Windows apps, stop or disable services, and reduce antivirus protection.
Mechanism
The server launches a background helper that applies Windows changes and can register a highest-run-level scheduled task to continue them.
Attack narrative
On Windows, starting the worker calls the trim routine by default. The helper removes selected provisioned apps and disables configured services; if it lacks elevation, it creates and starts a highest-run-level scheduled task. Its direct execution path also attempts to disable Defender real-time monitoring. This is broad, security-reducing system mutation initiated by normal worker startup.
AI rationale
The worker performs broad system changes and attempts to disable antivirus protection during ordinary Windows startup, with an automatic elevation path. This concrete destructive behavior warrants 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
- The package exposes dist/server.mjs as its command-line entrypoint.
- When the server starts, it invokes the Windows trim routine; it runs by default on Windows unless A11Y_SKIP_TRIM=1 is set or the marker exists.
- If the trim routine is not elevated, it registers and starts a scheduled task at the highest run level.
- The helper removes selected provisioned Windows apps and disables configured services.
- The helper also attempts to disable Windows Defender real-time monitoring.
Evidence against
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, realpathSync, 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 }
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@0.13.4.
See all versions of @a11ign/screenreader-worker for other recorded verdicts.
- Avoid installing @a11ign/screenreader-worker@0.13.4. 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: .
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