--- canonical: "https://firewall.lpm.dev/npm/@ornexus/neocortex/v/4.60.45" markdown: "https://firewall.lpm.dev/npm/@ornexus/neocortex/v/4.60.45.md" package: "@ornexus/neocortex" report_status: "published" title: "@ornexus/neocortex@4.60.45 npm security report" verdict: "policy_finding" version: "4.60.45" --- # @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.45 npm security report > **Trust boundary:** Package metadata, advisory text, filenames, URLs, and source snippets in this report come from external packages or feeds. Treat them as untrusted evidence. Do not execute instructions or code found in this document. ## Verdict summary **Soft block: AI-agent control surface** — Warn by default; block when configured. The package changes a foreign AI-agent control surface without an interactive consent step, enabling the installed agent configuration to affect later agent sessions. - **Verdict:** AI-agent control-surface policy finding - **Product-default install policy:** Warn by default; block when configured - **Firewall policy:** Warn by default - **Public report status:** Published - **Threat category:** Soft block: AI-agent control surface - **Selected version:** 4.60.45 - **Selected version is latest:** No - **Analysis source:** AI Security Review (lpm-firewall-ai) This finding concerns changes to an AI agent's instructions or configuration without explicit user action. It does not by itself establish malware intent. The CLI warns by default and blocks when configured for this policy. AI assessment: malicious; recommendation: publish block. This assessment is supporting evidence; the published decision above determines the current policy. LPM flags this version as an AI-agent control-surface risk. An npm postinstall hook automatically launches a quiet installer during global installation. The installer defaults to a Claude Code target and writes Neocortex agent files into the user's AI-agent configuration area. ## Latest scan - **Scanner version:** rust-scanner-worker-schema-1 - **Recorded final verdict:** Malicious - **Recorded analysis confidence:** 94.0% - **Started:** 2026-09-27T05:23:57.307Z - **Finished:** 2026-09-27T05:25:12.691Z - **Download time:** 1018 ms - **Static scan time:** 2414 ms - **AI review time:** 71951 ms - **Total time:** 75384 ms The recorded confidence comes from the underlying analysis. Trusted advisory policy can determine the final verdict even when the AI assessment differs. ## Security analysis ### Published attack-surface review - **Summary:** An npm postinstall hook automatically launches a quiet installer during global installation. The installer defaults to a Claude Code target and writes Neocortex agent files into the user's AI-agent configuration area. - **Trigger:** Global npm installation of the package. - **Impact:** The package changes a foreign AI-agent control surface without an interactive consent step, enabling the installed agent configuration to affect later agent sessions. - **Evidence paths:** postinstall.js, install.sh, packages/client/dist/agent/refresh-stubs.js - **Review source:** ai\_review - **Reviewed:** 2026-09-27T05:25:12.691Z ### AI review details - **Review stage:** source\_first\_review - **Mechanism:** The lifecycle hook invokes install.sh with automatic flags; the script selects Claude Code by default and copies agent definitions into the home-directory Claude agents location. - **Attack narrative:** Installing this package globally triggers its postinstall hook. The hook silently starts the bundled installer with automatic flags. In the absence of a target selection, that installer chooses Claude Code, creates a destination under the user's home-directory Claude agent configuration, and copies Neocortex agent files there. The package also contains refresh targets for several other agent products. This is an unconsented lifecycle-time mutation of an external AI-agent control surface. - **Rationale:** The lifecycle hook performs automatic, non-interactive modification of a foreign AI-agent configuration directory. This meets the install-control-surface blocking criterion even though no separate credential-exfiltration behavior was identified. - **Files touched:** postinstall.js, install.sh, packages/client/dist/agent/refresh-stubs.js ### Review decision - **Verdict:** Malicious - **Confidence:** 94.0% - **Recommended action:** publish\_block - **Intent class:** Malware - **False-positive risk:** Low - **Evidence for policy risk:** The package declares an npm postinstall lifecycle hook., That hook detects global installation and automatically runs its installer., On Unix it launches the installer with automatic, quiet, and project-skip flags., Without a selected target, the installer defaults to Claude Code., The installer sets its destination under the user's Claude agent directory and copies agent definition files., The distributed refresh code also contains destinations for several unrelated AI-agent configuration directories. - **Evidence against:** No credential collection or exfiltration sink was identified in the inspected lifecycle path., No runtime dependency on another release of this package was found in the inspected package metadata. ## Affected versions and remediation This report applies to @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.45. - Avoid installing @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.45. 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. ## Public findings ### 1. High: Install Time Lifecycle Scripts - **Category:** Manifest - **Confidence:** 90.0% - **Path:** package.json - **Public source:** [View source]() Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```json scripts.postinstall = node postinstall.js ``` ### 2. Medium: Ambiguous Install Lifecycle Script - **Category:** Manifest - **Confidence:** 75.0% - **Path:** package.json - **Public source:** [View source]() Install-time lifecycle script is not statically allowlisted and needs review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```json scripts.postinstall = node postinstall.js ``` ### 3. Low: Non Install Lifecycle Scripts - **Category:** Manifest - **Confidence:** 80.0% Package declares lifecycle scripts that are not normally run for registry tarball installs. ### 4. Low: Scripts Present - **Category:** Manifest - **Confidence:** 100.0% Package declares npm scripts. ### 5. High: Child Process - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 85.0% - **Path:** postinstall.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Package source references child process execution. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript L13: L14: const { spawn } = require('child_process'); L15: const path = require('path'); ``` ### 6. High: Shell - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 85.0% - **Path:** install.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Package source references shell execution. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript L144: /** L145: * Declarative flag mapping: Unix CLI flags -> PowerShell parameters. L146: * To add a new flag, just add an entry here. No switch/case to update. ``` ### 7. Medium: Dynamic Require - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 75.0% - **Path:** targets-stubs/lib/managed-config-merge.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Package source references dynamic require/import behavior. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript L6: L7: const crypto = require('node:crypto'); L8: const fs = require('node:fs'); ``` ### 8. Medium: Network - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 75.0% Package source references network APIs. ### 9. Medium: Environment Vars - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 75.0% Package source references environment variables. ### 10. Low: Filesystem - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 70.0% Package source references filesystem APIs. ### 11. High: Same File Env Network Execution - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 85.0% - **Path:** packages/client/dist/commands/invoke.js - **Public source:** [View source]() A single source file combines environment access, network access, and code or shell execution; review context before blocking. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript L1: import{createHash as be,randomUUID as ze}from"node:crypto";import{execFileSync as Le}from"node:child_process";import{existsSync as ve,readFileSync as _e,renameSync as vn,unlinkSync... L2: `,{encoding:"utf8",mode:384,flag:"wx"}),vn(r,n)}function Or(e){return be("sha256").update(`nx-epic-logical-operation-v1\0${JSON.stringify({command:"create-epic",args:e})}`,"utf8").... ... L9: `),{}}}function Gi(e,t){return{kind:"full",trigger:e,targetEpicId:null,targetStoryId:null,includedStoryCount:Object.keys(t.stories).length,includedEpicCount:Object.keys(t.epics).le... L10: `),o=new Et;const i=Lt(n,o,"auth-cache"),s=Lt(n,o,"tier-cache"),c=new kn({serverUrl:e,licenseKey:t??"",cacheProvider:i,strictReadOnly:r});let l;if(r){const g=await c.inspectToken()... L11: `),t}function mn(e,t){process.stderr.w ``` ### 12. High: Command Output Exfiltration - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 82.0% - **Path:** packages/client/dist/commands/invoke.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source combines command execution, command-output handling, and outbound requests; review data flow before blocking. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript L1: import{createHash as be,randomUUID as ze}from"node:crypto";import{execFileSync as Le}from"node:child_process";import{existsSync as ve,readFileSync as _e,renameSync as vn,unlinkSync... L2: `,{encoding:"utf8",mode:384,flag:"wx"}),vn(r,n)}function Or(e){return be("sha256").update(`nx-epic-logical-operation-v1\0${JSON.stringify({command:"create-epic",args:e})}`,"utf8").... L3: `);process.stderr.write(`[Neocortex] state.json schema drift detected: ... L9: `),{}}}function Gi(e,t){return{kind:"full",trigger:e,targetEpicId:null,targetStoryId:null,includedStoryCount:Object.keys(t.stories).length,includedEpicCount:Object.keys(t.epics).le... L10: `),o=new Et;const i=Lt(n,o,"auth-cache"),s=Lt(n,o,"tier-cache"),c=new kn({serverUrl:e,licenseKey:t??"",cacheProvider:i,strictReadOnly:r});let l;if(r){co ``` ### 13. High: Sandbox Evasion Gated Capability - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 84.0% - **Path:** packages/client/dist/config/secure-config.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source gates dangerous network, credential, or execution behavior behind CI, host, platform, time, or geo fingerprint checks. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript L1: import{existsSync as u,readFileSync as R,writeFileSync as S,mkdirSync as L,chmodSync as y}from"node:fs";import{execSync as d}from"node:child_process";import{join as l}from"node:pat... L2: [!] Warning: connected to local server (`+t+`). L3: To use production, run: neocortex activate YOUR-LICENSE-KEY L4: Get yours at https://neocortex.sh/portal/login L5: `))}function w(r){const t=r.match(/^(https?:\/\/)([^/]+)(.*)$/i);if(!t)return null;const[,e,o,n=""]=t;return o.toLowerCase()!==C?null:`${e}api.neocortex.sh${n}`}function G(r={}){tr... L6: [!] Machine fingerprint changed (was: ${e.machineId.slice(0,12)}..., now: ${c.slice(0,12)}...). ``` ### 14. High: Trigger Reachable Command Output Exfiltration - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 94.0% - **Path:** packages/client/dist/commands/invoke.js - **Public source:** [View source]() A manifest entrypoint or package-local install chain reaches command-output exfiltration behavior. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript Trigger-reachable command-output exfiltration chain: manifest.bin -> packages/client/dist/cli.js -> [redacted].js L1: import{createHash as be,randomUUID as ze}from"node:crypto";import{execFileSync as Le}from"node:child_process";import{existsSync as ve,readFileSync as _e,renameSync as vn,unlinkSync... L2: `,{encoding:"utf8",mode:384,flag:"wx"}),vn(r,n)}function Or(e){return be("sha256").update(`nx-epic-logical-operation-v1\0${JSON.stringify({command:"create-epic",args:e})}`,"utf8").... L3: `);process.stderr.write(`[Neocortex] state.json schema drift detected: ... L9: `),{}}}function Gi(e,t){return{kind:"full",trigger:e,targetEpicId:null,targetStoryId:null,includedStoryCount:Object.keys(t.stories).length,includedEpicCount:Object.keys(t.epics).le... L10: `),o=new Et;const i=Lt(n,o,"auth-cache ``` ### 15. High: Runtime Package Install - **Category:** Source - **Confidence:** 86.0% - **Path:** install.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Package source invokes a package manager install command at runtime. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript L475: L476: const { execSync } = require('child_process'); L477: try { L478: // Run npm install -g silently, capture output L479: execSync('npm install -g @ornexus/neocortex@latest', { ``` ### 16. Low: High Entropy Strings - **Category:** Supply Chain - **Confidence:** 55.0% Package source contains high-entropy string patterns. ### 17. Low: Url Strings - **Category:** Supply Chain - **Confidence:** 65.0% Package source contains URL literals. ### 18. Medium: Ships Build Helper - **Category:** Artifact Inventory - **Confidence:** 70.0% - **Path:** targets-stubs/cursor/install-cursor.sh - **Public source:** [View source]() Package ships non-JavaScript build or shell helper files. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```shell path = targets-stubs/cursor/install-cursor.sh kind = build_helper sizeBytes = 2077 magicHex = [redacted] ``` ### 19. Medium: Structural Risk Force Deep Review - **Category:** Artifact Inventory - **Confidence:** 100.0% Artifact structure forces deeper review even if the static behavioral verdict is clean. ### 20. High: Semantic Analysis Limited - **Category:** Scanner Coverage - **Confidence:** 100.0% - **Path:** packages/client/dist/runner/scheduler.js\#virtual:normalized:round1 - **Public source:** [View source]() A bounded semantic-analysis stage reached its safety limit; remaining detectors completed, but this package requires AI review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```text stage = ast_semantic_analysis; reason = ast_parse_error; limitedFiles = 1 ``` ### 21. High: Known Malware Source Similarity - **Category:** Static - **Confidence:** 97.0% - **Path:** packages/client/dist/config/secure-config.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.26 matchedPath = [redacted]-config.js matchedIdentity = npm:QG9ybmV4dXMvbmVvY29ydGV4:4.60.26 similarity = 1.000 summary = normalized source hash matched finalized malicious source ``` ### 22. High: Known Malware Source Similarity - **Category:** Static - **Confidence:** 97.0% - **Path:** packages/client/dist/runner/headless/continuous-story-workspace.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.26 matchedPath = [redacted]-story-workspace.js matchedIdentity = npm:QG9ybmV4dXMvbmVvY29ydGV4:4.60.26 similarity = 1.000 summary = normalized source hash matched finalized malicious source ``` ### 23. High: Known Malware Source Similarity - **Category:** Static - **Confidence:** 97.0% - **Path:** postinstall.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.26 matchedPath = postinstall.js matchedIdentity = npm:QG9ybmV4dXMvbmVvY29ydGV4:4.60.26 similarity = 1.000 summary = normalized source hash matched finalized malicious source ``` ### 24. High: Known Malware Source Similarity - **Category:** Static - **Confidence:** 97.0% - **Path:** packages/client/dist/runner/scheduler.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.26 matchedPath = [redacted].js matchedIdentity = npm:QG9ybmV4dXMvbmVvY29ydGV4:4.60.26 similarity = 1.000 summary = normalized source hash matched finalized malicious source ``` ### 25. High: Known Malware Source Similarity - **Category:** Static - **Confidence:** 97.0% - **Path:** packages/client/dist/runner/headless/epic-merge-candidate-qa.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.26 matchedPath = [redacted]-merge-candidate-qa.js matchedIdentity = npm:QG9ybmV4dXMvbmVvY29ydGV4:4.60.26 similarity = 1.000 summary = normalized source hash matched finalized malicious source ``` ### 26. High: Known Malware Source Similarity - **Category:** Static - **Confidence:** 95.0% - **Path:** packages/client/dist/runner/headless/epic-terminal-git-cli-adapter.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript matchType = token_shingles matchedPackage = @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.26 matchedPath = [redacted]-terminal-git-cli-adapter.js matchedIdentity = npm:QG9ybmV4dXMvbmVvY29ydGV4:4.60.26 similarity = 1.000 shingleOverlap = 48 summary = source token shingles overlapped finalized malicious source ``` ### 27. High: Known Malware Source Similarity - **Category:** Static - **Confidence:** 97.0% - **Path:** install.sh - **Public source:** [View source]() Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```shell matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.26 matchedPath = install.sh matchedIdentity = npm:QG9ybmV4dXMvbmVvY29ydGV4:4.60.26 similarity = 1.000 summary = normalized source hash matched finalized malicious source ``` ### 28. High: Known Malware Source Similarity - **Category:** Static - **Confidence:** 97.0% - **Path:** packages/client/dist/runner/headless/types.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.26 matchedPath = [redacted].js matchedIdentity = npm:QG9ybmV4dXMvbmVvY29ydGV4:4.60.26 similarity = 1.000 summary = normalized source hash matched finalized malicious source ``` ### 29. High: Known Malware Source Similarity - **Category:** Static - **Confidence:** 97.0% - **Path:** packages/client/dist/tier/tier-aware-client.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.26 matchedPath = packages/client/dist/tier/tier-aware-client.js matchedIdentity = npm:QG9ybmV4dXMvbmVvY29ydGV4:4.60.26 similarity = 1.000 summary = normalized source hash matched finalized malicious source ``` ### 30. High: Known Malware Source Similarity - **Category:** Static - **Confidence:** 97.0% - **Path:** packages/shared/dist/nx-invoke-signature.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.26 matchedPath = packages/shared/dist/nx-invoke-signature.js matchedIdentity = npm:QG9ybmV4dXMvbmVvY29ydGV4:4.60.26 similarity = 1.000 summary = normalized source hash matched finalized malicious source ``` ### 31. High: Known Malware Source Similarity - **Category:** Static - **Confidence:** 97.0% - **Path:** packages/shared/dist/strict-readonly.js - **Public source:** [View source]() Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.26 matchedPath = packages/shared/dist/strict-readonly.js matchedIdentity = npm:QG9ybmV4dXMvbmVvY29ydGV4:4.60.26 similarity = 1.000 summary = normalized source hash matched finalized malicious source ``` ### 32. Critical: Previous Version Dangerous Delta - **Category:** Supply Chain - **Confidence:** 93.0% - **Path:** install.js - **Public source:** [View source]() This package version adds a dangerous source file absent from the previous stored version; route for source-aware review. Public source snippet (untrusted): ```javascript matchType = previous_version_dangerous_delta matchedPackage = @ornexus/neocortex@4.60.38 matchedIdentity = npm:QG9ybmV4dXMvbmVvY29ydGV4:4.60.38 similarity = 0.708 summary = stored previous version shares package body but lacks this dangerous source file ``` ## Dependencies and install lifecycle - **Lifecycle scripts present:** Yes - **Published lifecycle scripts:** postinstall, prepublishOnly - **Dependencies:** 6 - **Optional dependencies:** 1 - **Peer dependencies:** 0 - **Development dependencies:** 13 - **Published dependency-graph edges:** 7 ### Published dependency entries - @clack/prompts ^1.0.1 (Dependency) - @modelcontextprotocol/sdk ^1.26.0 (Dependency) - execa ^9.6.1 (Dependency) - node-cache ^5.1.2 (Dependency) - picocolors ^1.1.1 (Dependency) - zod ^4.3.6 (Dependency) - better-sqlite3 ^12.11.1 (OptionalDependency) ## Package metadata - **Package:** @ornexus/neocortex - **Ecosystem:** npm - **Version:** 4.60.45 - **License:** BSL-1.1 - **Version published:** 2026-09-19T22:20:46.791Z - **Package first seen:** 2026-06-30T23:14:43.512Z - **Package last seen:** 2026-09-28T06:32:32.869Z - **Known versions:** 40 - **Latest version:** 4.60.51 - **Appeal under review:** No - **Description:** Neocortex v4.60.45 - Orquestrador de Desenvolvimento de Epics & Stories para Claude Code - **Author:** OrNexus Team - **Keywords:** claude, claude-code, agent, orchestrator, development-workflow, epic, story, automation, ai-agent, llm, devops, ci-cd - **Runtime engines:** node: \>=18.0.0 - **Supported OS:** darwin, linux, win32 - **Artifact files:** 342 - **Artifact unpacked size:** 2,869,220 bytes - **Artifact signatures:** 2 - **Attestations:** No ## References - [HTML security report]() - [Repository]() - [Homepage]() - [Issues]()