@chem-x/starter-kit@26.9.20-369
Chemical X Protocol: Private drop-in architecture starter kit and capsule generator
AI Security Review
scanned 11d ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe automatic postinstall writes the package's MCP server into consumer AI editor configuration and modifies the consumer manifest without a consent guard. This meets the policy for blocking unconsented install-time agent control-surface mutation.
Static reason
High-risk behavior combination matched malicious policy.; previous stored version diff introduced dangerous source
Trigger
Installing the package with npm, which runs its postinstall hook.
Impact
The package automatically adds its server to the consumer's AI editor control surfaces, enabling later editor use of that server.
Mechanism
The hook resolves the consumer project directory and calls the MCP installer, which writes editor MCP configuration and may update the consumer package.json.
Policy narrative
On npm installation, the postinstall hook targets the consumer project and invokes the MCP installer without a consent check. The installer writes server configuration into project-level Cursor and VS Code files and adds helper scripts to the consumer manifest. This is an unconsented install-time change to AI editor control surfaces.
AI rationale
The automatic postinstall writes the package's MCP server into consumer AI editor configuration and modifies the consumer manifest without a consent guard. This meets the policy for blocking unconsented install-time agent control-surface mutation.
Evidence
package.jsoncli/postinstall.jscli/mcp/installer.js
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI identified this as a dangerous AI-agent capability at 95.0% confidence with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for policy risk
- The package manifest runs cli/postinstall.js automatically after installation.
- The postinstall targets the consumer project and calls installAllMcpConfigs without a consent prompt.
- That installer writes a Chemical X MCP server configuration into the consumer's .cursor/mcp.json and .vscode/mcp.json files.
- The installer also adds scripts to the consumer package.json, and its fallback MCP command runs chemx mcp through npx.
Evidence against
- The package also exposes an interactive installer wizard for users who choose agent setup explicitly.
- The MCP configuration points to the package's own Chemical X server; inspected source does not establish credential theft or a remote payload.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetworkShell
HighEntropyStringsUrlStrings
Source & flagged code
11 flagged · loading sourcepackage.jsonView file
•scripts.postinstall = node cli/postinstall.js
High
Install Time Lifecycle Scripts
Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.
package.jsonView on unpkg•scripts.postinstall = node cli/postinstall.js
Medium
Ambiguous Install Lifecycle Script
Install-time lifecycle script is not statically allowlisted and needs review.
package.jsonView on unpkgcli/errors/errors.spec.jsView file
27patternName = github_pat
severity = critical
line = 27
Critical
Critical Secret
Package contains a critical-looking secret pattern.
cli/errors/errors.spec.jsView on unpkg · L27Findings
3 Critical6 High5 Medium4 Low
CriticalCritical Secretcli/errors/errors.spec.js
CriticalAi Agent Control Hijackcli/mcp/installer.js
CriticalSecret Patterncli/errors/errors.spec.js
HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json
HighChild Processcli/audit-preflight-git.js
HighShellcli/build/executor.js
HighSame File Env Network Executioncli/license.js
HighTrigger Reachable External Ai Agent Control Surface Mutationcli/scaffold.js
HighPrevious Version Dangerous Deltacli/license.js
MediumAmbiguous Install Lifecycle Scriptpackage.json
MediumNetwork
MediumEnvironment Vars
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to @chem-x/starter-kit@26.9.20-369.
See all versions of @chem-x/starter-kit for other recorded verdicts.
- Avoid installing @chem-x/starter-kit@26.9.20-369. 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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