@cotal-ai/cli@0.133.1
Cotal mesh CLI: up, join, watch, console, spawn, mint, channels, history, ext.
AI Security Review
scanned 4d ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe package enables regular runtime telemetry by default and sends it from non-interactive runs without an in-process disclosure, which meets the suspicious undisclosed-telemetry criterion. The reviewed payload is usage metadata, not raw arguments or content, and opt-outs are available, so this does not support a malicious verdict.
Static reason
One or more suspicious static signals were detected.
Trigger
A non-hidden CLI command runs with telemetry at its default or configured `regular` level.
Impact
Cotal receives usage metadata, including a stable hashed account identifier, without an in-process notice in non-interactive environments. The reviewed event code excludes raw arguments, paths, and content.
Mechanism
The CLI queues command and usage metadata for an exit-time POST. The first-run notice is conditional on stderr being a TTY.
AI rationale
The package enables regular runtime telemetry by default and sends it from non-interactive runs without an in-process disclosure, which meets the suspicious undisclosed-telemetry criterion. The reviewed payload is usage metadata, not raw arguments or content, and opt-outs are available, so this does not support a malicious verdict.
Evidence
dist/telemetry.jsdist/commands/telemetry.js.lpm-dependency-evidence-347b8387-020a-478c-8c0a-c4cae96f9b67/1/npm-linux/dist/telemetry.js~/.cotal/telemetry.json~/.cotal/idp-sessions.json
Network endpoints2
cotal.ai/v1/telemetryCOTAL_TELEMETRY_URL (operator-configured HTTP(S) endpoint)
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Suspicious at 88.0% confidence as Dangerous Capability with medium false-positive risk.
Evidence for warning
- A new telemetry settings file defaults to `regular` and receives a random install ID.
- Telemetry is armed for CLI commands and sent on process exit; the first-run notice is printed only when stderr is a TTY.
- Regular events include command and subcommand names, flag names, masked error details, and a hashed account ID; the notice says raw arguments, paths, names, and content are not sent.
- The default telemetry endpoint is `https://cotal.ai/v1/telemetry`.
- Environment settings can disable telemetry, including `DO_NOT_TRACK` and `COTAL_TELEMETRY_DISABLED`.
Evidence against
- The telemetry notice describes the collection and points users to `cotal telemetry off`; environment opt-outs are also supported.
- The reviewed event fields contain usage metadata rather than raw command arguments, paths, or content.
- The manifest has no lifecycle hook, and the flagged skill writes are performed by the explicit `cotal setup` command.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessCryptoDynamicRequire
Source & flagged code
6 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
5 High4 Medium4 Low
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@0.133.1.
See all versions of @cotal-ai/cli for other recorded verdicts.
- Review the evidence and your use of @cotal-ai/cli@0.133.1 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: .
Think this verdict is wrong? Dispute it on GitHub or read how reports are produced.