registry / @apexfdn/apex / 1.0.18

@apexfdn/apex@1.0.18

AI Security Review

scanned 3h ago · by lpm-firewall-ai

Installation retrieves unsigned executable payloads over the network and stores them locally. Invoking `apex` executes the retrieved binary with the caller's environment.

Static reason

One or more suspicious static signals were detected.

Trigger

npm postinstall, then user invocation of `apex`

Impact

A substituted or compromised release asset can achieve local code execution.

Mechanism

unchecked remote binary and native-addon bootstrap

Rationale

The shipped JavaScript is a remote payload bootstrapper rather than a self-contained package, and its downloaded executable is not integrity-verified. This is a concrete supply-chain code-execution risk, but the inspected source does not prove the remote payload itself is malicious.

Evidence

package.jsoninstall.cjsapex.cjsbin/apex~/.apex/natives/16.3.6/pi_natives.win32-x64-baseline.node

Network endpoints1

github.com/Apex-Foundation/copilot/releases/download/v1.0.0/

OSV Corroboration

OpenSSF/OSV

Advisory

MAL-2026-10979

Source

OpenSSF Malicious Packages via OSV

Summary

Malicious code in @apexfdn/apex (npm)

Details

Any computer that has this package installed or running should be considered fully compromised. All secrets and keys stored on that computer should be rotated immediately from a different computer. The package should be removed, but as full control of the computer may have been given to an outside entity, there is no guarantee that removing the package will remove all malicious software resulting from installing it.

References

OSV advisory OpenSSF JSON ADVISORY

Decision evidence

public snapshot

AI called this Suspicious at 92.0% confidence as Dangerous Capability with low false-positive risk.

Evidence for block

`package.json` runs `node install.cjs` as `postinstall`.
`install.cjs` downloads a platform binary from GitHub without an integrity check.
`install.cjs` follows redirects and writes the result to `bin/apex`.
Windows installs a downloaded `.node` addon under `~/.apex/natives/16.3.6`.
`apex.cjs` executes the downloaded binary with inherited environment variables.
The packaged `bin/apex` is empty, so runtime relies on the postinstall payload.

Evidence against

No source harvesting or exfiltration logic was found in the shipped JavaScript.
No foreign AI-agent configuration mutation or persistence mechanism was found.
Network target is a hard-coded GitHub release URL, not a concealed endpoint.

Behavioral surface

Source

ChildProcessEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetwork

Supply chain

UrlStrings

ManifestNo manifest risk signals triggered.

scanned 2 file(s), 3.12 KB of source, external domains: github.com

Source & flagged code

2 flagged

package.jsonView file

•scripts.postinstall = node install.cjs

High

Install Time Lifecycle Scripts

Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.

package.jsonView on unpkg

•scripts.postinstall = node install.cjs

Medium

Ambiguous Install Lifecycle Script

Install-time lifecycle script is not statically allowlisted and needs review.

package.jsonView on unpkg

Source & flagged code

2 flagged · loading source

package.jsonView file

•scripts.postinstall = node install.cjs

High

Install Time Lifecycle Scripts

Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.

package.jsonView on unpkg

•scripts.postinstall = node install.cjs

Medium

Ambiguous Install Lifecycle Script

Install-time lifecycle script is not statically allowlisted and needs review.

package.jsonView on unpkg

Findings

1 High3 Medium3 Low

HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json

MediumAmbiguous Install Lifecycle Scriptpackage.json

MediumNetwork

MediumEnvironment Vars

LowScripts Present

LowFilesystem

LowUrl Strings