@a11ign/screenreader-worker@0.8.0
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 primary purpose does not require automatic removal of Windows apps, disabling system services, or disabling Defender. The reachable startup behavior and attempted privilege escalation establish a concrete destructive security impact.
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 server on Windows without setting A11Y_SKIP_TRIM=1.
Impact
System features and security protections may be disabled without an affirmative trim setting.
Mechanism
The server launches a detached helper, which applies system changes and attempts to disable Defender; it may request highest-privilege execution through a scheduled task.
Attack narrative
When the server starts on Windows, it launches a detached trimming helper unless an environment opt-out is set. The helper removes selected provisioned apps and disables listed services, then attempts to turn off Defender real-time monitoring. If it is not elevated, it attempts to start through a highest-privilege scheduled task.
AI rationale
The package's primary purpose does not require automatic removal of Windows apps, disabling system services, or disabling Defender. The reachable startup behavior and attempted privilege escalation establish a concrete destructive security impact.
Evidence
dist/server.mjsdist/windows-trim.mjs
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Malicious at 98.0% confidence as Malware with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for block
- The package exposes the server as a command-line executable.
- Starting the server automatically launches Windows trimming unless an environment opt-out is set.
- The helper can remove provisioned apps and disable Windows services.
- The helper attempts to disable Defender real-time monitoring when run directly.
- When not elevated, the helper tries to register and start a highest-privilege scheduled task.
Evidence against
- The trim is limited to Windows and can be skipped with A11Y_SKIP_TRIM.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessCryptoEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetworkWebSocket
HighEntropyStringsMinified
CopyleftLicense
Source & flagged code
6 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 = 0.522
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";
...
L7: import { extname, join, resolve as external_node_path_resolve } from "node:path";
L8: import { inflateRawSync } from "node:zlib";
L9: import { rm } from "node:fs/promises";
...
L22: function powershellValue(script) {
L23: if ("win32" !== process.platform) return "unknown";
L24: try {
...
L47: try {
L48: const { stdout } = await execFileA
Findings
1 Critical5 High2 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
HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/src_auth-flow_ts.mjs
HighAi Review Evidencepackage.json
MediumNetwork
MediumEnvironment Vars
LowScripts Present
LowFilesystem
LowHigh Entropy Strings
LowCopyleft License
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to @a11ign/screenreader-worker@0.8.0.
See all versions of @a11ign/screenreader-worker for other recorded verdicts.
- Avoid installing @a11ign/screenreader-worker@0.8.0. 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: .
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