registry / Install hook abuse / @phnx-labs/agents-cli

@phnx-labs/agents-cli

One CLI for all your AI coding agents - versions, config, cloud dispatch, sessions, and teams (now with first-class Grok Build CLI support)

This report shows the evidence for @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.109. 4 of 132 known versions are blocked or flagged. The newest version, 1.23.43, is allowed. See all versions.

AI Security Review

scanned 1mo ago · by lpm-firewall-ai

This is an automatic install-hook persistence chain with credential-accessing runtime behavior. The package mutates the user's agent execution environment and starts a long-running service without explicit post-install consent.

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 installation, including global installation on macOS or Linux

Impact

Creates a persistent user service and exposes available AI-service access tokens to package-controlled network requests.

Mechanism

postinstall persistence plus credential-backed runtime requests

Attack narrative

The npm postinstall path starts or restarts an always-on daemon without an explicit setup command. The daemon installs and enables a user service, then package runtime code reads local AI authentication material and uses it in outbound bearer-authenticated requests. The prompted shell-edit branch does not remove the automatic persistence behavior.

AI rationale

Evidence

package.jsonscripts/postinstall.jsdist/lib/daemon/daemon.jsdist/lib/accounting/usage.js~/.agents~/.local/bin/agents~/.local/bin/ag~/.config/systemd/user/agents-daemon.service~/.config/launchd/com.phnx-labs.agents-daemon.plist~/.codex/auth.json

Network endpoints1

api.anthropic.com

Decision evidence

public snapshot

AI called this Malicious at 97.0% confidence as Malware with low false-positive risk.

Evidence for block

The package runs a postinstall script automatically.
Postinstall starts or restarts an always-on daemon without a prompt.
The daemon writes and enables a user systemd service for persistence.
Runtime reads Codex authentication data and sends bearer-authenticated usage requests to Anthropic.

Evidence against

Shell configuration edits are prompted or opt-in in one postinstall branch.
The service and shims are named for this package rather than disguised as another product.

Behavioral surface

Source

ChildProcessCryptoDynamicRequireEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetworkShellWebSocket

Supply chain

HighEntropyStringsUrlStrings

ManifestNo manifest risk signals triggered.

scanned 869 file(s), 12.0 MB of source, external domains: 127.0.0.1, accounts.google.com, agents-browser.invalid, agents-cli.sh, ai.azure.com, anthropic.com, antigravity.google, api.anthropic.com, api.cloudflare.com, api.cursor.com, api.deepinfra.com, api.example.com, api.factory.ai, api.github.com, api.hetzner.cloud, api.kimi.com, api.linear.app, api.meta.ai, api.openai.com, api.prix.dev, app.factory.ai, app.warp.dev, aws.amazon.com, cloud.google.com, cloudcode-pa.googleapis.com, code.kimi.com, console.anthropic.com, console.hetzner.cloud, console.x.ai, cursor.com, daily-cloudcode-pa.googleapis.com, dash.cloudflare.com, deepinfra.com, dev.meta.ai, developers.googleblog.com, docs.openclaw.ai, docs.x.ai, example.com, generativelanguage.googleapis.com, git-scm.com, github.com, gw.corp, hermes-agent.nousresearch.com, id.byphoenix.com, linear.app, login.tailscale.com, nodejs.org, oauth2.googleapis.com, opencode.ai, openrouter.ai

Source & flagged code

26 flagged

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/bootstrap.jsView file

425if (answer === 'now') { L426: const { spawnSync } = await import('child_process'); L427: let spinner = ora('Resolving package metadata...').start();

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

dist/bootstrap.jsView on unpkg · L425

dist/session-tracker/dist/reader.jsView file

5import { STATE_DIR, parseState, stateFilePath } from './state-file.js'; L6: const execAsync = promisify(exec); L7: const PID_TREE_MAX_DEPTH = 5;

High

Shell

Package source references shell execution.

dist/session-tracker/dist/reader.jsView on unpkg · L5

dist/lib/sqlite.jsView file

15const isBun = typeof globalThis.Bun !== 'undefined'; L16: const require = createRequire(import.meta.url); L17: // node:sqlite emits a process-level ExperimentalWarning the first time it loads.

Medium

Dynamic Require

Package source references dynamic require/import behavior.

dist/lib/sqlite.jsView on unpkg · L15

dist/lib/platform/ipc.jsView file

12* touching disk, and never probe the result with fs.existsSync (it always reports L13: * false). Both forms are accepted by net.createServer / net.createConnection. L14: */ L15: export function ipcEndpoint(socketPath, platform = process.platform) { L16: if (platform === 'win32') {

Low

Weak Crypto

Package source references weak cryptographic algorithms.

dist/lib/platform/ipc.jsView on unpkg · L12

dist/lib/menubar/install-menubar.jsView file

17import { fileURLToPath } from 'url'; L18: import { execFileSync, spawnSync } from 'child_process'; L19: import * as fs from 'fs'; ... L73: function onDarwin() { L74: return process.platform === 'darwin'; L75: } ... L77: function installDir() { L78: return path.join(os.homedir(), 'Library', 'Application Support', INSTALL_DIR_NAME); L79: } ... L123: try { L124: const parsed = JSON.parse(raw); L125: if (parsed && (parsed.source === 'release' || parsed.source === 'local'))

Medium

Install Persistence

Source writes installer persistence such as shell profile or service configuration.

dist/lib/menubar/install-menubar.jsView on unpkg · L17

dist/lib/cloud/factory.js#virtual:normalized:round1View file

11* completion with `--output-format stream-json`, buffers the NDJSON events, and L12: * `stream()` replays them. The task id is droid"s own `session_id` (captured\n * from the run output), so it lines up with `droid exec -s <id>` for future\n * resume support.\n *\n... L13: * row as the computer name and keep the remainder as a label, skipping headers, ... L50: * the Droid relay. The relay is used as an OpenSSH ProxyCommand L51: * (`droid computer ssh <name> --proxy`), so the connection rides Factory"s\n * brokered tunnel rather than a directly reachable host.\n *\n * `remoteArgv` is the already-built remo... L52: events.push({ type: "unknown", name: "stdout", data: trimmed, timestamp: new Date().toISOString() });

Critical

Download Execute

Source downloads or fetches remote code and executes it.

dist/lib/cloud/factory.js#virtual:normalized:round1View on unpkg · L11

dist/commands/setup-fleet.jsView file

8import chalk from 'chalk'; L9: import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process'; L10: import { getCliLaunch } from '../lib/cli-entry.js'; ... L24: const launch = getCliLaunch(args); L25: const res = spawnSync(launch.command, launch.args, { stdio: 'inherit', env: process.env }); L26: if ((res.status ?? 1) === 0) ... L49: console.error(chalk.red('Tailscale is not installed or not on PATH.')); L50: const platform = process.platform; L51: console.log(chalk.bold('\nInstall Tailscale, then re-run `agents setup fleet`:')); ... L53: console.log(chalk.cyan(' brew install --cask tailscale')); L54: console.log(chalk.gray(' or install from https://tailscale.com/download/mac')); L55: }

High

Sandbox Evasion Gated Capability

Source gates dangerous network, credential, or execution behavior behind CI, host, platform, time, or geo fingerprint checks.

dist/commands/setup-fleet.jsView on unpkg · L8

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.66 matchedPath = dist/commands/setup-fleet.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.66 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/commands/setup-fleet.jsView on unpkg

dist/lib/daemon/daemon.jsView file

13Install-time code directly mutates a foreign AI-agent control surface: L77: const LOG_ROTATE_COUNT = 3; L78: const PLIST_NAME = 'com.phnx-labs.agents-daemon'; L79: const SYSTEMD_UNIT = 'agents-daemon.service'; ... L211: const dir = getDaemonDir(); L212: fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true }); L213: return dir; ... L312: export function writeDaemonPid(pid) { L313: fs.writeFileSync(getPidPath(), String(pid), 'utf-8'); L314: } ... L337: try { L338: fs.writeFileSync(getHeartbeatPath(), JSON.stringify(hb), 'utf-8'); L339: } Write operation from scripts/postinstall.js: L13: const HOME = os.homedir(); L14: const USER_DIR = path.join(HOME, '.agents'); L15: const SHIMS_DIR = path.join(USER_DIR, '.cache', 'shims'); L16: // System repo lives inside the user repo (folded in v1.21). Legacy installs at

Critical

Ai Agent Control Hijack

Source creates an unconsented AI-agent control surface through install-time mutation or a default unauthenticated remote skill channel.

dist/lib/daemon/daemon.jsView on unpkg · L13

•matchType = previous_version_dangerous_delta matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.107 matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.107 similarity = 0.942 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/lib/daemon/daemon.jsView on unpkg

dist/lib/installations/migrate.jsView file

•Manifest-trigger-reachable source links an external AI-agent control path to a behavior-bearing write operation. function migraterunsintoroutines() { const src = path.join(user_dir, 'runs'); const dest = path.join(user_dir, 'routines', 'runs'); if (!fs.existssync(src) || fs.existssync(dest)) return; try { fs.mkdirsync(path.dirname(dest), { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 }); fs.renamesync(src, dest); } catch { } } function migratetrashtohidden() { const src = path.join(user_dir, 'trash'); const dest = path.join(user_dir, '.trash'); if (!fs.existssync(src) || fs.existssync(dest)) return; try { fs.renamesync(src, dest); } catch {

High

Trigger Reachable External Ai Agent Control Surface Mutation

Manifest-trigger-reachable source writes behavior-bearing configuration into a user or project AI-agent control surface.

dist/lib/installations/migrate.jsView on unpkg

scripts/postinstall.jsView file

9Trigger-reachable persistence chain: scripts.postinstall -> scripts/postinstall.js L9: import * as readline from 'readline'; L10: import { spawnSync } from 'child_process'; L11: import { fileURLToPath } from 'url'; L12: L13: const HOME = os.homedir(); L14: const USER_DIR = path.join(HOME, '.agents'); ... L26: function resolveAgentsBin() { L27: if (process.platform !== 'darwin') return AGENTS_JS_ENTRYPOINT; L28: try { ... L87: const target = path.join(SHIMS_DIR, name); L88: const script = `#!/bin/sh\nAGENTS_BIN=${shellQuote(AGENTS_BIN)}\nif [ -z "$AGENTS_BIN" ] || [ ! -x "$AGENTS_BIN" ]; then\n echo "agents: agents-cli entrypoint missing or not execu... L89: fs.writeFileSync(target, script, { mode: 0o755 });

High

Trigger Reachable Persistence

A manifest entrypoint or package-local install chain reaches persistence behavior.

scripts/postinstall.jsView on unpkg · L9

dist/session-tracker/dist/hook.shView file

•path = dist/session-tracker/dist/hook.sh kind = build_helper sizeBytes = 6419 magicHex = [redacted]

Medium

Ships Build Helper

Package ships non-JavaScript build or shell helper files.

dist/session-tracker/dist/hook.shView on unpkg

dist/commands/daemon.js#virtual:normalized:round1View file

•stage = ast_semantic_analysis; reason = ast_parse_error; limitedFiles = 41

High

Semantic Analysis Limited

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

dist/commands/daemon.js#virtual:normalized:round1View on unpkg

dist/lib/tmux/binary.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.66 matchedPath = dist/lib/tmux/binary.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.66 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/lib/tmux/binary.jsView on unpkg

dist/lib/browser/ffmpeg.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.66 matchedPath = dist/lib/browser/ffmpeg.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.66 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/lib/browser/ffmpeg.jsView on unpkg

dist/lib/installations/versions.jsView file

•matchType = token_shingles matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.66 matchedPath = dist/lib/installations/versions.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.66 similarity = 1.000 shingleOverlap = 48 summary = source token shingles overlapped 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/lib/installations/versions.jsView on unpkg

dist/lib/loop.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.66 matchedPath = dist/lib/loop.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.66 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/lib/loop.jsView on unpkg

dist/lib/session/provenance.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.66 matchedPath = dist/lib/session/provenance.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.66 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/lib/session/provenance.jsView on unpkg

dist/lib/auto-pull.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.66 matchedPath = dist/lib/auto-pull.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.66 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/lib/auto-pull.jsView on unpkg

dist/commands/message.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.66 matchedPath = dist/commands/message.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.66 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/commands/message.jsView on unpkg

dist/lib/analytics/usage-db.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.66 matchedPath = dist/lib/analytics/usage-db.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.66 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/lib/analytics/usage-db.jsView on unpkg

dist/lib/github/gh-overload.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.66 matchedPath = dist/lib/github/gh-overload.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.66 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/lib/github/gh-overload.jsView on unpkg

dist/lib/github/pr-mergeable.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.66 matchedPath = dist/lib/github/pr-mergeable.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.66 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/lib/github/pr-mergeable.jsView on unpkg

Source & flagged code

26 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/bootstrap.jsView file

425if (answer === 'now') { L426: const { spawnSync } = await import('child_process'); L427: let spinner = ora('Resolving package metadata...').start();

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

dist/bootstrap.jsView on unpkg · L425

Findings

3 Critical18 High7 Medium6 Low

CriticalDownload Executedist/lib/cloud/factory.js#virtual:normalized:round1

CriticalAi Agent Control Hijackdist/lib/daemon/daemon.js

CriticalPrevious Version Dangerous Deltadist/lib/daemon/daemon.js

HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json

HighChild Processdist/bootstrap.js

HighShelldist/session-tracker/dist/reader.js

HighSandbox Evasion Gated Capabilitydist/commands/setup-fleet.js

HighTrigger Reachable External Ai Agent Control Surface Mutationdist/lib/installations/migrate.js

HighTrigger Reachable Persistencescripts/postinstall.js

HighSemantic Analysis Limiteddist/commands/daemon.js#virtual:normalized:round1

Affected versions and remediation

This report applies to @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.109.

The versions list below shows the verdict for each recorded version.

Avoid installing @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.109. 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: 2026-09-13 10:07:53.878Z (UTC).

Think this verdict is wrong? Dispute it on GitHub or read how reports are produced.

Versions

132 known versions

1.23.43latestManual Review—AllowUnder ReviewOct 20, 2026, 8:06 AM 1.23.42SuspiciousAgent extension lifecycle riskWarnPublishedOct 20, 2026, 6:12 AM 1.23.41SuspiciousPersistenceWarnPublishedOct 20, 2026, 5:53 AM 1.23.40SuspiciousAgent extension lifecycle riskWarnPublishedOct 20, 2026, 1:36 AM

AI Security Review

Decision evidence

Source & flagged code

Source & flagged code

Findings

Affected versions and remediation

Versions

Related packages

Other install hook abuse packages

Behavioral surface

Related packages

Other install hook abuse packages

Source & flagged code