registry / @apexfdn/apex / 1.0.28

@apexfdn/apex@1.0.28

AI Security Review

scanned 3h ago · by lpm-firewall-ai

npm postinstall fetches opaque platform binaries and, on Windows, a native addon. The CLI later executes the downloaded binary with the caller's environment; no payload behavior is available for inspection.

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 installation; later invocation of the apex CLI

Impact

Unverified remote executable and native code can run after installation.

Mechanism

postinstall remote binary staging followed by CLI execution

Rationale

This is a remote payload carrier with unverified install-time binaries, but inspected source does not establish credential theft, exfiltration, destructive behavior, or AI-agent control-surface hijacking. The package/README identity mismatch increases concern.

Evidence

package.jsoninstall.cjsapex.cjsREADME.mdbin/apex

Network endpoints1

github.com

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 93.0% confidence as Dangerous Capability with low false-positive risk.

Evidence for block

package.json runs node install.cjs as postinstall.
install.cjs downloads platform executables from github.com without integrity verification.
install.cjs downloads a Windows native .node addon into ~/.apex/natives.
apex.cjs executes the downloaded bin/apex with inherited environment.
README.md describes a different @oh-my-pi/pi-coding-agent package.

Evidence against

No source evidence of credential collection or exfiltration.
No AI-agent configuration mutation or destructive action found.
Downloaded binary is absent from the inspected archive, so its behavior is unverified.

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

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