@cotal-ai/cli@0.128.7
Cotal mesh CLI: up, join, watch, console, spawn, mint, channels, history, ext.
AI Security Review
scanned 6d ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe CLI defaults to regular runtime telemetry and sends additional machine and mesh metadata beyond the notice’s stated categories. Because this is disclosed telemetry to Cotal’s own endpoint with opt-out controls, it warrants a warning rather than a publish block.
Static reason
One or more suspicious static signals were detected.; previous stored version diff introduced dangerous source
Trigger
A recognized CLI command runs while telemetry is enabled; events are sent on process exit.
Impact
Cotal receives telemetry beyond the notice’s listed categories. The inspected code does not show credentials or file contents being sent.
Mechanism
The CLI posts command and periodic install events to Cotal’s telemetry endpoint. Regular events include shell, terminal, OS release, installed tooling and mesh metadata.
AI rationale
The CLI defaults to regular runtime telemetry and sends additional machine and mesh metadata beyond the notice’s stated categories. Because this is disclosed telemetry to Cotal’s own endpoint with opt-out controls, it warrants a warning rather than a publish block.
Evidence
dist/telemetry.js.lpm-dependency-evidence-f459ca9b-939f-4061-992e-b24f06b15740/1/npm-linux/dist/telemetry.js~/.cotal/telemetry.json~/.cotal/idp-sessions.json
Network endpoints1
cotal.ai/v1/telemetry
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Suspicious at 88.0% confidence as Dangerous Capability with medium false-positive risk.
Evidence for warning
- Telemetry settings default to `regular` when no settings file exists, so ordinary CLI commands send events unless telemetry is disabled.
- Regular telemetry includes shell and terminal details, OS release, installed connectors and extensions, runtime names, mesh counts and whether a mesh is hosted—fields beyond the notice’s stated categories.
- The CLI arms telemetry for a recognized command and sends command events when the process exits.
Evidence against
- Telemetry goes to Cotal’s own endpoint, and the notice offers `cotal telemetry off`; environment settings can also disable it.
- Error text is scrubbed for paths, URLs, email addresses, IP addresses and token-shaped strings before transmission.
- The flagged skill writer is reached through `cotal setup`, rather than package installation or import.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessCryptoDynamicRequireEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetworkShell
Source & flagged code
7 flaggeddist/seed/reconcile.jsView file
1import { existsSync, renameSync } from "node:fs";
L2: import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
L3: import { randomBytes } from "node:crypto";
High
Child Process
Package source references child process execution.
dist/seed/reconcile.jsView on unpkg · L1dist/lib/persona-files.jsView file
274process.on(signal, pass);
L275: const child = program ? spawn(program, [draft], { stdio: "inherit" }) : spawn(`${editor} ${quoted}`, { shell: true, stdio: "inherit" });
L276: return new Promise(resolve => {
High
dist/lib/nats-bin.jsView file
Findings
1 Critical5 High4 Medium4 Low
CriticalPrevious Version Dangerous Deltadist/telemetry.js
HighChild Processdist/seed/reconcile.js
HighShelldist/lib/persona-files.js
HighTrigger Reachable External Ai Agent Control Surface Mutationdist/lib/agent-skills.js
HighRuntime Package Installdist/commands/setup.js
HighSemantic Analysis Limiteddist/commands/ext.js
MediumDynamic Requiredist/lib/nats-bin.js
MediumNetwork
MediumEnvironment Vars
MediumStructural Risk Force Deep Review
LowScripts Present
LowFilesystem
LowHigh Entropy Strings
LowUrl Strings
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to @cotal-ai/cli@0.128.7.
See all versions of @cotal-ai/cli for other recorded verdicts.
- Review the evidence and your use of @cotal-ai/cli@0.128.7 before allowing it. Restrict the permissions described in this report.
- Choose an independently verified alternative or release. This report does not establish that other versions are safe.
Evidence last updated: .
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