registry / Install hook abuse / @metaphi-ai/hum / 0.2.4

@metaphi-ai/hum@0.2.4

Hum: a self-improving coding agent for your terminal.

AI Security Review

scanned 1mo ago · by lpm-firewall-ai

The package contains a concrete automatic install hook that executes remotely downloaded shell code and installs an additional remote runtime. The inspected code does not prove secret theft or foreign agent-control-surface mutation, so the source supports a warning rather than a malware block.

Static reason

High-risk behavior combination matched malicious policy.; source matched previously finalized malicious package; routed for review

Trigger

npm installation runs postinstall.

Impact

A compromised or substituted upstream installer or Python package can execute code during installation and write under the user's home directory.

Mechanism

Shell-piped remote installer followed by remote Python package installation.

AI rationale

Evidence

package.jsonscripts/postinstall.jsdist/install.mjs~/.hum/core~/.hum/core-install.json~/.local/bin

Network endpoints2

astral.sh/uv/install.ps1astral.sh/uv/install.sh

Decision evidence

public snapshot

AI called this Suspicious at 96.0% confidence as Dangerous Capability with low false-positive risk.

Evidence for warning

The manifest runs a postinstall script automatically during npm installation.
The postinstall dynamically imports the installer and calls it when its private core version is absent or differs.
The installer downloads and executes Astral's installer through a shell, then installs the remote hum-cli Python package into the user's home directory.
The install path creates and modifies ~/.hum state and core files outside the npm package directory.

Evidence against

The inspected lifecycle code targets this product's ~/.hum directory rather than a foreign AI-agent configuration.
No inspected source establishes credential exfiltration, destructive actions, or a hidden network endpoint beyond the installer download.

Behavioral surface

Source

ChildProcessDynamicRequireEnvironmentVarsFilesystemShell

Supply chain

HighEntropyStringsUrlStrings

Manifest

Source & flagged code

9 flagged

package.jsonView file

Lines 1-13json

2 "name": "@metaphi-ai/hum",

3 "version": "0.2.4",

4 "description": "Hum: a self-improving coding agent for your terminal.",

5 "license": "UNLICENSED",

6 "type": "module",

7 "bin": { "hum": "bin/hum.js" },

8 "files": ["bin", "dist", "scripts"],

9 "scripts": { "postinstall": "node scripts/postinstall.js" },

High

Install Time Lifecycle Scripts

Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.

package.jsonView on unpkg · L9

Medium

Ambiguous Install Lifecycle Script

Install-time lifecycle script is not statically allowlisted and needs review.

package.jsonView on unpkg · L9

10 "engines": { "node": ">=22" },

11 "repository": { "type": "git", "url": "git+https://github.com/metaphi-labs/humboldt.git" }

12}

dist/install.mjsView file

Lines 1-21javascript

1// src/install.js

2import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";

3import fs from "node:fs";

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

dist/install.mjsView on unpkg · L1

4import os from "node:os";

bin/hum.jsView file

Lines 1-19javascript

1#!/usr/bin/env node

2// `hum` from npm: the Ink front-end, which starts Hum's core (Python, installed by postinstall

3// via uv) and talks to it over localhost. Everything the person sees is here; everything the

4// session records is in the core.

5import { fileURLToPath, pathToFileURL } from 'node:url';

6import path from 'node:path';

dist/cli.mjsView file

485"use strict"; L486: "production" !== process.env.NODE_ENV && (function() { L487: function defineDeprecationWarning(methodName, info) { ... L624: specialPropKeyWarningShown || (specialPropKeyWarningShown = true, console.error( L625: "%s: `key` is not a prop. Trying to access it will result in `undefined` being returned. If you need to access the same value within the child component, you should pass it as a di... L626: displayName ... L1664: cwdFunction = isBrowser ? () => { L1665: throw new Error("`process.cwd()` only works in Node.js, not the browser."); L1666: } : process2.cwd; ... L1768: } L1769: const imageBuffer = Buffer.from(data); L1770: return wrapOsc(returnValue + `;size=${imageBuffer.byteLength}:` + imageBuffer.toString("base64") + BEL);

Critical

Browser Credential Phishing

Source appears to collect browser login credentials for exfiltration.

dist/cli.mjsView on unpkg · L485

88734import fs5 from "node:fs"; L88735: import net from "node:net"; L88736: import os5 from "node:os"; ... L88738: import crypto from "node:crypto"; L88739: import { spawn as spawn2, spawnSync as spawnSync3 } from "node:child_process"; L88740: function uvToolDirs() { L88741: const dirs = []; L88742: if (process.env.UV_TOOL_DIR) dirs.push(process.env.UV_TOOL_DIR); L88743: if (win3) {

High

Same File Env Network Execution

A single source file combines environment access, network access, and code or shell execution; review context before blocking.

dist/cli.mjsView on unpkg · L88734

4648import process3 from "node:process"; L4649: import { execFileSync } from "node:child_process"; L4650: import fs from "node:fs"; ... L4705: try { L4706: const statContents = fs.readFileSync("/proc/self/stat", "utf8"); L4707: const closingParenthesisIndex = statContents.lastIndexOf(") "); ... L71088: /* metaparameters */ L71089: "alias audit before loglevel noop require subscribe tag owner ensure group mode name|0 changes context force incl lens load_path onlyif provider returns root show_diff type_check e... L71090: ),

Source & flagged code

9 flagged · loading source

package.jsonView file

•scripts.postinstall = node scripts/postinstall.js

High

Install Time Lifecycle Scripts

Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.

package.jsonView on unpkg

•scripts.postinstall = node scripts/postinstall.js

Medium

Ambiguous Install Lifecycle Script

Install-time lifecycle script is not statically allowlisted and needs review.

package.jsonView on unpkg

dist/install.mjsView file

1// src/install.js L2: import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process"; L3: import fs from "node:fs";

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

dist/install.mjsView on unpkg · L1

Findings

1 Critical6 High4 Medium5 Low

CriticalBrowser Credential Phishingdist/cli.mjs

HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json

HighChild Processdist/install.mjs

HighShelldist/install.mjs

HighSame File Env Network Executiondist/cli.mjs

HighRemote Agent Bridgedist/cli.mjs

HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/install.mjs

MediumAmbiguous Install Lifecycle Scriptpackage.json

MediumDynamic Requirebin/hum.js

MediumEnvironment Vars

MediumStructural Risk Force Deep Review

LowScripts Present

LowFilesystem

Low

Affected versions and remediation

This report applies to @metaphi-ai/hum@0.2.4.

See all versions of @metaphi-ai/hum for other recorded verdicts.

Review the evidence and your use of @metaphi-ai/hum@0.2.4 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: 2026-09-12 21:57:12.954Z (UTC).

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