registry / @cotal-ai/cli / 0.140.7
@cotal-ai/cli@0.140.7
Cotal mesh CLI: up, join, watch, console, spawn, mint, channels, history, ext.
AI Security Review
scanned 22h ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe package is not clearly malicious, but its setup flow performs a global npm install by default in non-interactive `npx` use without explicit confirmation. The install is for the CLI itself and is prompted in interactive use, so this is a consent and capability concern rather than evidence of an attack.
Static reason
One or more suspicious static signals were detected.
Trigger
Run `cotal setup` through `npx` when `cotal` is not already on PATH and the invocation is non-interactive.
Impact
Changes the npm global prefix and makes the CLI globally available. The source does not specify the prefix path.
Mechanism
Setup calls `npm install -g cotal-ai@<running version>`; non-interactive mode takes the install default instead of asking.
AI rationale
The package is not clearly malicious, but its setup flow performs a global npm install by default in non-interactive `npx` use without explicit confirmation. The install is for the CLI itself and is prompted in interactive use, so this is a consent and capability concern rather than evidence of an attack.
Evidence
dist/commands/setup.js
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Suspicious at 86.0% confidence as Dangerous Capability with medium false-positive risk.
Evidence for warning
- During `cotal setup`, an `npx` run with no `cotal` on PATH installs `cotal-ai` globally by default when there is no TTY; no affirmative confirmation is required in that path.
Evidence against
- The install is limited to the CLI package’s own running version and is intended to make the `cotal` command available.
- In an interactive terminal, setup presents a confirmation prompt before the global install.
- The flagged cross-vendor skill writes are part of the explicit `setup --skills` flow and are limited to managed skill files.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessCryptoDynamicRequireEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetworkShell
HighEntropyStringsUrlStrings
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@0.140.7.
See all versions of @cotal-ai/cli for other recorded verdicts.
- Review the evidence and your use of @cotal-ai/cli@0.140.7 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: .
Think this verdict is wrong? Dispute it on GitHub or read how reports are produced.