registry / @apexfdn/apex / 1.0.25

@apexfdn/apex@1.0.25

AI Security Review

scanned 3h ago · by lpm-firewall-ai

Install-time code fetches opaque executable payloads and stores them locally without integrity verification. The CLI launcher subsequently executes the downloaded payload with the caller's environment. No confirmed credential theft or AI-agent control-surface mutation appears in the inspected JavaScript.

Static reason

One or more suspicious static signals were detected.; source matched previously finalized malicious package; routed for review; source fingerprint signature matched known malicious package; routed for review

Trigger

npm postinstall downloads payloads; invoking `apex` executes the downloaded binary.

Impact

A compromised or redirected release artifact can gain the invoking user's code-execution privileges and environment access.

Mechanism

unverified remote binary and native-addon staging followed by launcher execution

Rationale

The package creates an unverified install-time remote binary supply chain and later executes that payload, which warrants a warning. Static source inspection does not prove concrete malicious payload behavior, exfiltration, or forbidden AI-agent control-surface mutation.

Evidence

package.jsoninstall.cjsapex.cjsbin/apex

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 95.0% confidence as Dangerous Capability with medium false-positive risk.

Evidence for block

`package.json` runs `node install.cjs` as `postinstall`.
`install.cjs` downloads platform executables from `github.com/Apex-Foundation/copilot` during installation.
Downloads follow redirects and have no checksum, signature, or size verification.
`install.cjs` writes the fetched executable to `bin/apex`; on Windows it also writes a native `.node` addon under `~/.apex`.
`apex.cjs` later executes the downloaded `bin/apex` with inherited environment variables.
Manifest metadata claims an oh-my-pi package while installer fetches Apex-Foundation/copilot artifacts.

Evidence against

The installer targets a fixed GitHub repository and fixed release version.
No source evidence harvests credentials, exfiltrates data, or alters foreign AI-agent configuration.
The downloaded binary is not executed by the postinstall hook itself; execution occurs when the user invokes `apex`.

Behavioral surface

Source

ChildProcessEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetwork

Source & flagged code

4 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

install.cjsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @apexfdn/apex@1.0.20 matchedPath = install.cjs matchedIdentity = npm:QGFwZXhmZG4vYXBleA:1.0.20 similarity = 1.000 summary = normalized source hash matched finalized malicious source

High

Known Malware Source Similarity

Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review.

install.cjsView on unpkg

apex.cjsView file

•matchType = malicious_source_fingerprint_signature signature = 0be609cf3e07bf74 signatureType = suspicious_hashes sourceLabel = final_verdict:malicious matchedPackage = @apexfdn/apex@1.0.20 matchedPath = apex.cjs matchedIdentity = npm:QGFwZXhmZG4vYXBleA:1.0.20 similarity = 1.000 shingleOverlap = 2 summary = package final verdict is malicious

High

Known Malware Source Fingerprint Signature

Source fingerprint signature matches a known malicious package signature; route for source-aware review.

apex.cjsView on unpkg

Source & flagged code

4 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

install.cjsView file

High

Known Malware Source Similarity

Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review.

install.cjsView on unpkg

Findings

3 High3 Medium3 Low

HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json

HighKnown Malware Source Similarityinstall.cjs

HighKnown Malware Source Fingerprint Signatureapex.cjs

MediumAmbiguous Install Lifecycle Scriptpackage.json

MediumNetwork

MediumEnvironment Vars

LowScripts Present

LowFilesystem

LowUrl Strings