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@codexed/codex@0.153.4-codexed.1: Malicious npm security report | LPM Firewall

registry / @codexed/codex / 0.153.4-codexed.1

@codexed/codex@0.153.4-codexed.1

<p align="center"><strong>Codex CLI</strong> is a coding agent from OpenAI that runs locally on your computer. <p align="center"> <img src="https://github.com/openai/codex/blob/main/.github/codex-cli-splash.png" alt="Codex CLI splash" width="80%" /> </p

AI Security Review

scanned 2h ago · by lpm-firewall-ai

A postinstall hook automatically takes over the global codex launcher. It removes the existing launcher and redirects it to this differently named package.

Static reason

High-risk behavior combination matched malicious policy.; source matched previously finalized malicious package; routed for review; source fingerprint signature matched known malicious package; routed for review; previous stored version diff introduced dangerous source

Trigger

Global npm installation.

Impact

It can silently redirect future codex invocations to this package.

Mechanism

Postinstall replacement of a foreign global AI CLI launcher.

Attack narrative

Installing the package globally invokes its postinstall script. The script selects the npm global prefix, deletes the existing codex launcher, and replaces it with a symlink or Windows wrapper that runs this package's entry point. Because the package is under the distinct @codexed scope, this is an unconsented takeover of a foreign AI-agent command surface.

Rationale

The automatic lifecycle hook overwrites a global AI CLI command owned outside this package rather than only configuring package-owned files. The absence of observed network or credential behavior does not remove the launcher-hijack risk.

Evidence

package.jsonscripts/postinstall.mjs<npm prefix>/bin/codex<npm prefix>/bin/codex.codexed-tmp<npm prefix>/codex.cmd<npm prefix>/codex.ps1

Decision evidence

Source & flagged code

8 flagged · loading source

package.jsonView file

•dependencies registry_only=@codexed/codex-linux-arm64,@codexed/codex-linux-x64,@codexed/codex-win32-x64

Critical

Manifest Confusion

Tarball package.json differs from the npm registry version manifest for scripts or dependency sets.

package.jsonView on unpkg

•scripts.postinstall = node scripts/postinstall.mjs

High

Install Time Lifecycle Scripts

Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.

package.jsonView on unpkg

23"scripts": { "postinstall": "node scripts/postinstall.mjs" }

High

Suspicious Lifecycle Evidence

Its postinstall hook runs automatically on installation.

package.jsonView on unpkg · L23

•scripts.postinstall = node scripts/postinstall.mjs

Medium

Ambiguous Install Lifecycle Script

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

package.jsonView on unpkg

scripts/postinstall.mjsView file

2L3: import { chmodSync, mkdirSync, renameSync, rmSync, symlinkSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs"; L4: import os from "node:os"; ... L26: const launcherPath = path.join(binDir, "codex"); L27: const tmpPath = `${launcherPath}.codexed-tmp`; L28: L29: mkdirSync(binDir, { recursive: true }); L30: chmodSync(codexJs, 0o755); ... L42: L43: mkdirSync(launcherDir, { recursive: true }); L44: L45: writeFileSync(

Critical

Ai Agent Control Hijack

Source creates an unconsented AI-agent control surface through install-time mutation or a default unauthenticated remote skill channel.

scripts/postinstall.mjsView on unpkg · L2

bin/codex.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @codexed/codex@0.153.3-codexed.1 matchedPath = bin/codex.js matchedIdentity = npm:QGNvZGV4ZWQvY29kZXg:0.153.3-codexed.1 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.

bin/codex.jsView on unpkg

•matchType = malicious_source_fingerprint_signature signature = a0a24c0188b5c1ed signatureType = suspicious_hashes sourceLabel = final_verdict:malicious matchedPackage = @codexed/codex@0.153.3-codexed.1 matchedPath = bin/codex.js matchedIdentity = npm:QGNvZGV4ZWQvY29kZXg:0.153.3-codexed.1 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.

bin/codex.jsView on unpkg

•matchType = previous_version_dangerous_delta matchedPackage = @codexed/codex@0.147.0-codexed.1 matchedIdentity = npm:QGNvZGV4ZWQvY29kZXg:0.147.0-codexed.1 similarity = 0.500 summary = stored previous version shares package body but lacks this dangerous source file

High

Previous Version Dangerous Delta

This package version adds a dangerous source file absent from the previous stored version; route for source-aware review.

bin/codex.jsView on unpkg

Source & flagged code

8 flagged

package.jsonView file

Lines 3-32json

3 "version": "0.153.4-codexed.1",

4 "license": "Apache-2.0",

5 "bin": {

6 "codex": "bin/codex.js"

7 },

8 "type": "module",

9 "engines": {

10 "node": ">=16"

11 },

12 "files": [

13 "bin",

14 "scripts",

15 "README.md"

16 ],

17 "repository": {

18 "type": "git",

19 "url": "git+https://github.com/openai/codex.git",

20 "directory": "codex-cli"

21 },

22 "packageManager": "pnpm@10.34.5+sha512.a4ee05f2f73658255bd6a89859c065a45c28a57daefae2c893a168ee2b73168c37b91e83e57ea67654ad03f03031746430e8bce38e362e042605fb8abc80192e",

23 "scripts": {

Critical

Manifest Confusion

Tarball package.json differs from the npm registry version manifest for scripts or dependency sets.

package.jsonView on unpkg · L23

24 "postinstall": "node scripts/postinstall.mjs"

High

Install Time Lifecycle Scripts

Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.

package.jsonView on unpkg · L24

Medium

Ambiguous Install Lifecycle Script

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

package.jsonView on unpkg · L24

25 },

High

Suspicious Lifecycle Evidence

Its postinstall hook runs automatically on installation.

package.jsonView on unpkg · L23

26 "optionalDependencies": {

27 "@codexed/codex-linux-x64": "0.153.4-codexed.1",

28 "@codexed/codex-linux-arm64": "0.153.4-codexed.1",

29 "@codexed/codex-win32-x64": "0.153.4-codexed.1"

30 }

31}

32

scripts/postinstall.mjsView file

Lines 1-22javascript

1#!/usr/bin/env node

2

3import { chmodSync, mkdirSync, renameSync, rmSync, symlinkSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";

4import os from "node:os";

Critical

Ai Agent Control Hijack

Source creates an unconsented AI-agent control surface through install-time mutation or a default unauthenticated remote skill channel.

scripts/postinstall.mjsView on unpkg · L2

5import path

bin/codex.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @codexed/codex@0.153.3-codexed.1 matchedPath = bin/codex.js matchedIdentity = npm:QGNvZGV4ZWQvY29kZXg:0.153.3-codexed.1 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.

bin/codex.jsView on unpkg

•matchType = malicious_source_fingerprint_signature signature = a0a24c0188b5c1ed signatureType = suspicious_hashes sourceLabel = final_verdict:malicious matchedPackage = @codexed/codex@0.153.3-codexed.1 matchedPath = bin/codex.js matchedIdentity = npm:QGNvZGV4ZWQvY29kZXg:0.153.3-codexed.1 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.

bin/codex.jsView on unpkg

•matchType = previous_version_dangerous_delta matchedPackage = @codexed/codex@0.147.0-codexed.1 matchedIdentity = npm:QGNvZGV4ZWQvY29kZXg:0.147.0-codexed.1 similarity = 0.500 summary = stored previous version shares package body but lacks this dangerous source file

High

Previous Version Dangerous Delta

This package version adds a dangerous source file absent from the previous stored version; route for source-aware review.

bin/codex.jsView on unpkg