@chemx/create-chemx@26.9.20-1257
Chemical X Protocol: Private drop-in architecture starter kit and capsule generator
AI Security Review
scanned 11d ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe manifest activates postinstall, which automatically mutates consumer AI-agent MCP configuration without consent. This is an unconsented install-time control-surface mutation, so the package should be blocked.
Static reason
High-risk behavior combination matched malicious policy.
Trigger
Installing the package through npm where its postinstall lifecycle runs, except when the target directory is the package’s own directory.
Impact
Consumer projects and configured agents receive a new Chemical X MCP server entry and related scripts or agent schemas.
Mechanism
The hook calls installAllMcpConfigs for the consumer directory, which writes Cursor and VS Code MCP configuration and also updates Antigravity configuration when its config directory exists.
Policy narrative
During package installation, postinstall targets the consumer directory and calls the MCP installer without asking first. That installer registers the Chemical X server in project-level Cursor and VS Code configuration, and in an existing Antigravity configuration. This silently changes which tools those agents can invoke after installation.
AI rationale
The manifest activates postinstall, which automatically mutates consumer AI-agent MCP configuration without consent. This is an unconsented install-time control-surface mutation, so the package should be blocked.
Evidence
package.jsoncli/postinstall.jscli/mcp/installer.js.cursor/mcp.json.vscode/mcp.json~/.gemini/config/mcp_config.json
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI identified this as a dangerous AI-agent capability at 98.0% confidence with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for policy risk
- package.json defines a postinstall hook that runs cli/postinstall.js in the consumer’s install.
- That hook automatically calls installAllMcpConfigs for the consumer directory without a consent check.
- The installer writes MCP server configuration into project-level Cursor and VS Code control files during that hook.
- It also updates an existing Antigravity MCP configuration and synchronizes agent schemas.
- The installation tests confirm the project configuration writes; the interactive installer and pillars wizard are separate user-invoked setup paths.
- The secret-pattern, child-process, shell, and license-network hints describe test data or ordinary utility behavior and do not change the confirmed install-time control-surface mutation.
Evidence against
- The separate interactive installer presents a user choice before MCP setup, and the pillars wizard writes steering files only when selected.
- The error test uses token-like strings as sanitizer test inputs; the inspected license code sends a provided key to its configured gatekeeper endpoint.
Behavioral surface
Source & flagged code
10 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 Critical5 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/pillars-wizard.js
MediumAmbiguous Install Lifecycle Scriptpackage.json
MediumNetwork
MediumEnvironment Vars
MediumShips Build Helperscripts/pre-commit.sh
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to @chemx/create-chemx@26.9.20-1257.
See all versions of @chemx/create-chemx for other recorded verdicts.
- Avoid installing @chemx/create-chemx@26.9.20-1257. 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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