registry / @essentialai/cogent-bridge / 3.23.1

@essentialai/cogent-bridge@3.23.1

Cogent Bridge — cross-agent comms for Claude Code, OpenAI Codex and Slack. Codex users: install with `curl -fsSL https://cogent.tools/install.sh | sh`, then start with `cogent-codex` for real-time peer wake.

AI Security Review

scanned 3h ago · by lpm-firewall-ai

LPM flags this version as an AI-agent control-surface risk. A global npm install triggers unprompted modification of the Codex environment. It downloads and executes a remote installer, then registers a marketplace and installs a plugin.

Static reason

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

Trigger

npm install -g @essentialai/cogent-bridge

Impact

A package installation can install executable software and alter the user's AI-agent extension surface without an explicit setup command.

Mechanism

Postinstall remote shell execution and Codex plugin provisioning

Policy narrative

Installing the package globally automatically runs its postinstall script. That script fetches and pipes a remote Codex installer to a shell, then adds a marketplace and installs the Cogent plugin into Codex. Separately, its auto-relay logic can retry work with Codex approvals and sandboxing disabled. This is an unconsented install-time change to a broad AI-agent control surface.

Rationale

The package uses an automatic lifecycle hook to execute remote code and install an AI-agent plugin outside the package itself. The global-only guard does not establish user consent for those mutations.

Evidence

package.jsonscripts/postinstall-global.mjsdist/services/auto-relay.jsdist/services/codex-cli.js~/.codex/packages/standalone

Network endpoints2

chatgpt.com/codex/install.shgithub.com/eaisdevelopment/cogent.git

Decision evidence

public snapshot

AI identified this as a dangerous AI-agent capability at 97.0% confidence with low false-positive risk.

Evidence for policy risk

A postinstall lifecycle hook automatically runs this installer.
On global installation, it downloads and executes a remote shell script to install Codex.
The same automatic hook adds a third-party Codex marketplace and installs its plugin.
Runtime recovery can rerun Codex with approvals and sandboxing bypassed.

Evidence against

The installer is restricted to global installs and skips CI, Windows, and normal dependency installs.
The source contains no confirmed credential exfiltration in the inspected lifecycle path.

Behavioral surface

Source

ChildProcessCryptoDynamicRequireEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetworkShellWebSocket

Supply chain

HighEntropyStringsUrlStrings

ManifestNo manifest risk signals triggered.

scanned 69 file(s), 494 KB of source, external domains: app.cogent.tools, chatgpt.com, cogent.tools, github.com, registry.npmjs.org

Source & flagged code

15 flagged

package.jsonView file

Lines 19-59json

19 "cogent-codex": "dist/bin/cogent-codex.js"

20 },

21 "files": [

22 "dist",

23 "README.md",

24 "LICENSE",

25 "CHANGELOG.md",

26 "server.json",

27 "scripts/postinstall-global.mjs"

28 ],

29 "scripts": {

30 "start": "node dist/index.js",

31 "dev": "tsx watch src/index.ts",

32 "build": "node node_modules/typescript/bin/tsc && npm run build:bundle",

33 "build:bundle": "node scripts/build-bundle.mjs",

34 "clean": "rm -rf dist plugin/bridge",

35 "test": "node node_modules/vitest/vitest.mjs run",

36 "test:watch": "node node_modules/vitest/vitest.mjs",

37 "test:unit": "node node_modules/vitest/vitest.mjs run --exclude 'src/e2e/**'",

38 "test:coverage": "node node_modules/vitest/vitest.mjs run --coverage",

39 "postinstall": "node scripts/postinstall-global.mjs",

High

Install Time Lifecycle Scripts

Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.

package.jsonView on unpkg · L39

40 "prepublishOnly": "npm run build && npm run typecheck && npm test",

41 "typecheck": "node node_modules/typescript/bin/tsc -p tsconfig.test.json --noEmit",

42 "test:all": "node scripts/test-all.mjs",

43 "secret-scan": "node scripts/secret-scan.mjs",

44 "verify": "npm run typecheck && npm run test:all && node scripts/artifact-staleness-test.mjs && node scripts/dist-blackbox-test.mjs"

45 },

46 "keywords": [

47 "mcp",

48 "model-context-protocol",

49 "claude",

50 "claude-code",

51 "bridge",

52 "inter-session",

53 "communication",

54 "ai",

55 "agent",

56 "cogent",

57 "cogent-bridge"

58 ],

59 "repository": {

dist/bin/cogent-codex.jsView file

Lines 11-51javascript

11 *

12 * The ONLY user step is running `cogent-codex` instead of `codex`. This wrapper

13 * self-bootstraps everything else, no exports / config / paths / system commands:

14 * 1. ensures codex's managed build (the daemon needs it) — installing it on first

15 * run with a single Y/n confirmation if it is missing;

16 * 2. ensures the app-server daemon (idempotent);

17 * 3. execs `codex --remote unix://<sock> -C <this dir>` with your args passed through

18* (the `-C` pins the working root to where you launched — the shared daemon's own

19* cwd must never leak in; see buildRemoteArgs).

20 * The bridge then AUTO-DETECTS the app-server rail from its process ancestry (in

21 * `--remote` mode the daemon, not the codex TUI, spawns the plugin MCP) — so

22 * real-time wake needs NO env flag or config. If any of the above can't happen

23 * (managed build declined/unavailable, non-interactive shell), it launches plain

24 * codex on the default turn-boundary rail — never an error, never a manual step.

25 *

26 * The daemon lifecycle is the SAME code the bridge uses at wake time (ensureDaemon

27 * in services/codex-app-server.ts) — one source of truth.

28 *

29 * NOTE (platforms): attaches over the daemon's unix socket (`unix://…`), covering

30 * macOS + Linux. Windows (loopback `ws://…`) is not yet wired here.

31 */

32import { spawn, spawnSync } from "node:child_process";

33import { realpathSync } from "node:fs";

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

dist/bin/cogent-codex.jsView on unpkg · L31

34import { readFile } from "node:fs/promises";

35import { createInterface } from "node:readline";

36import { pathToFileURL } from "node:url";

37import { loadConfig, getConfig } from "../config.js";

38import { ensureDaemon, resetDaemonCache } from "../services/codex-app-server.js";

39import { detectCodexCogentServerCollision, codexConfigPath, } from "../services/codex-preflight.js";

40function log(msg) {

41 process.stderr.write(`[cogent-codex] ${msg}\n`);

42}

Critical

Download Execute

Source downloads or fetches remote code and executes it.

dist/bin/cogent-codex.jsView on unpkg · L31

Critical

Trigger Reachable Dangerous Capability

A package entrypoint or install-time lifecycle script reaches a source file with blocking dangerous behavior.

dist/bin/cogent-codex.jsView on unpkg · L31

43/**

44 * Loud launch-time guard: a standalone [mcp_servers.cogent] in ~/.codex/config.toml

45 * collides by name with the cogent@cogent plugin's own `cogent` MCP server, which

46 * breaks codex MCP startup ("connection closed: initialize response"). Warn before

47 * we hand off to codex so the user sees it. Never throws.

48 */

49async function warnOnServerCollision() {

50 const cfgPath = codexConfigPath();

51 try {

•matchType = previous_version_dangerous_delta matchedPackage = @essentialai/cogent-bridge@3.20.5 matchedIdentity = npm:[redacted]:3.20.5 similarity = 0.730 summary = stored previous version shares package body but lacks this dangerous source file

Critical

Previous Version Dangerous Delta

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

dist/bin/cogent-codex.jsView on unpkg

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @essentialai/cogent-bridge@3.23.0 matchedPath = dist/bin/cogent-codex.js matchedIdentity = npm:[redacted]:3.23.0 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.

dist/bin/cogent-codex.jsView on unpkg

dist/constants.jsView file

Lines 1-28javascript

1import { createRequire } from "node:module";

2function resolveVersion() {

3 // `typeof` on an undeclared identifier is safe (returns "undefined"); in the bundle

4 // esbuild replaces the identifier with a string literal so this branch wins.

5 if (typeof __COGENT_VERSION__ === "string" && __COGENT_VERSION__) {

6 return __COGENT_VERSION__;

7 }

8 try {

9 const require = createRequire(import.meta.url);

10 return require("../package.json").version;

Medium

Dynamic Require

Package source references dynamic require/import behavior.

dist/constants.jsView on unpkg · L8

11 }

12 catch {

13 return "unknown";

14 }

15}

16export const SERVER_NAME = "Cogent Bridge from Essential AI Solutions (essentialai.uk)";

17/**

18 * cogent-bridge npm package version. Historically named SERVER_VERSION

19 * because cogent-bridge is the "MCP server" the user's CC instance talks to.

20 * Retained for backward compatibility with existing importers (logger banner,

21 * MCP server registration metadata, http-backend's serverVersion HTTP header --

22 * all of which legitimately identify cogent-bridge AS the MCP server to the

23 * user/CLI/CC).

24 */

25export const SERVER_VERSION = resolveVersion();

26/**

27 * Alias of SERVER_VERSION for use sites where this string identifies the

28 * client (cogent-bridge npm package) talking to cogent-server. Audit L4:

dist/backend/npm-update-check.js#virtual:normalized:round1View file

•stage = ast_semantic_analysis; reason = ast_parse_error; limitedFiles = 7

High

Semantic Analysis Limited

A bounded semantic-analysis stage reached its safety limit; remaining detectors completed, but this package requires AI review.

dist/backend/npm-update-check.js#virtual:normalized:round1View on unpkg

dist/services/codex-app-server.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @essentialai/cogent-bridge@3.23.0 matchedPath = dist/services/codex-app-server.js matchedIdentity = npm:[redacted]:3.23.0 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.

dist/services/codex-app-server.jsView on unpkg

dist/services/codex-preflight.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @essentialai/cogent-bridge@3.23.0 matchedPath = dist/services/codex-preflight.js matchedIdentity = npm:[redacted]:3.23.0 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.

dist/services/codex-preflight.jsView on unpkg

dist/startup.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @essentialai/cogent-bridge@3.23.0 matchedPath = dist/startup.js matchedIdentity = npm:[redacted]:3.23.0 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.

dist/startup.jsView on unpkg

scripts/postinstall-global.mjsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @essentialai/cogent-bridge@3.23.0 matchedPath = scripts/postinstall-global.mjs matchedIdentity = npm:[redacted]:3.23.0 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.

scripts/postinstall-global.mjsView on unpkg

dist/services/cc-cli.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @essentialai/cogent-bridge@3.23.0 matchedPath = dist/services/cc-cli.js matchedIdentity = npm:[redacted]:3.23.0 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.

dist/services/cc-cli.jsView on unpkg

dist/services/codex-cli.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @essentialai/cogent-bridge@3.23.0 matchedPath = dist/services/codex-cli.js matchedIdentity = npm:[redacted]:3.23.0 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.

dist/services/codex-cli.jsView on unpkg

dist/backend/npm-update-check.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @essentialai/cogent-bridge@3.23.0 matchedPath = dist/backend/npm[redacted] matchedIdentity = npm:[redacted]:3.23.0 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.

dist/backend/npm-update-check.jsView on unpkg

Source & flagged code

15 flagged · loading source

package.jsonView file

•scripts.postinstall = node scripts/postinstall-global.mjs

High

Install Time Lifecycle Scripts

Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.

package.jsonView on unpkg

dist/bin/cogent-codex.jsView file

31*/ L32: import { spawn, spawnSync } from "node:child_process"; L33: import { realpathSync } from "node:fs"; ... L40: function log(msg) { L41: process.stderr.write(`[cogent-codex] ${msg}\n`); L42: } ... L91: log("setting up real-time wake — installing codex's managed build (one-time)…"); L92: const res = spawnSync("sh", ["-c", "curl -fsSL https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.sh | sh"], { L93: stdio: "inherit", ... L202: async function main() { L203: loadConfig(process.env); L204: const codexBin = getConfig().COGENT_CODEX_PATH;

Critical

Download Execute

Source downloads or fetches remote code and executes it.

dist/bin/cogent-codex.jsView on unpkg · L31

31Trigger-reachable chain: manifest.bin -> dist/bin/cogent-codex.js L31: */ L32: import { spawn, spawnSync } from "node:child_process"; L33: import { realpathSync } from "node:fs"; ... L40: function log(msg) { L41: process.stderr.write(`[cogent-codex] ${msg}\n`); L42: } ... L91: log("setting up real-time wake — installing codex's managed build (one-time)…"); L92: const res = spawnSync("sh", ["-c", "curl -fsSL https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.sh | sh"], { L93: stdio: "inherit", ... L202: async function main() { L203: loadConfig(process.env); L204: const codexBin = getConfig().COGENT_CODEX_PATH;

Critical

Trigger Reachable Dangerous Capability

A package entrypoint or install-time lifecycle script reaches a source file with blocking dangerous behavior.

dist/bin/cogent-codex.jsView on unpkg · L31

Critical

Previous Version Dangerous Delta

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

dist/bin/cogent-codex.jsView on unpkg

31*/ L32: import { spawn, spawnSync } from "node:child_process"; L33: import { realpathSync } from "node:fs";

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

dist/bin/cogent-codex.jsView on unpkg · L31

High

Known Malware Source Similarity

Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review.

dist/bin/cogent-codex.jsView on unpkg

dist/constants.jsView file

8try { L9: const require = createRequire(import.meta.url); L10: return require("../package.json").version;

Medium

Dynamic Require

Package source references dynamic require/import behavior.

dist/constants.jsView on unpkg · L8

dist/backend/npm-update-check.js#virtual:normalized:round1View file

•stage = ast_semantic_analysis; reason = ast_parse_error; limitedFiles = 7

High

Semantic Analysis Limited

A bounded semantic-analysis stage reached its safety limit; remaining detectors completed, but this package requires AI review.

dist/backend/npm-update-check.js#virtual:normalized:round1View on unpkg

dist/services/codex-app-server.jsView file

High

Known Malware Source Similarity

Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review.

dist/services/codex-app-server.jsView on unpkg

dist/services/codex-preflight.jsView file

High

Known Malware Source Similarity

Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review.

dist/services/codex-preflight.jsView on unpkg

dist/startup.jsView file

High

Known Malware Source Similarity

Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review.

dist/startup.jsView on unpkg

scripts/postinstall-global.mjsView file

High

Known Malware Source Similarity

Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review.

scripts/postinstall-global.mjsView on unpkg

dist/services/cc-cli.jsView file

High

Known Malware Source Similarity

Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review.

dist/services/cc-cli.jsView on unpkg

dist/services/codex-cli.jsView file

High

Known Malware Source Similarity

Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review.

dist/services/codex-cli.jsView on unpkg

dist/backend/npm-update-check.jsView file

High

Known Malware Source Similarity

Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review.

dist/backend/npm-update-check.jsView on unpkg

Findings

3 Critical12 High4 Medium5 Low

CriticalDownload Executedist/bin/cogent-codex.js

CriticalTrigger Reachable Dangerous Capabilitydist/bin/cogent-codex.js

CriticalPrevious Version Dangerous Deltadist/bin/cogent-codex.js

HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json

HighChild Processdist/bin/cogent-codex.js

HighShell

HighSemantic Analysis Limiteddist/backend/npm-update-check.js#virtual:normalized:round1

HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/bin/cogent-codex.js

HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/services/codex-app-server.js

HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/services/codex-preflight.js

HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/startup.js

HighKnown Malware Source Similarityscripts/postinstall-global.mjs

HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/services/cc-cli.js

HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/services/codex-cli.js

HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/backend/npm-update-check.js

MediumDynamic Requiredist/constants.js

MediumNetwork

MediumEnvironment Vars

MediumStructural Risk Force Deep Review

LowNon Install Lifecycle Scripts

LowScripts Present

LowFilesystem

LowHigh Entropy Strings

LowUrl Strings