registry / AI-agent capability abuse / @phnx-labs/agents-cli / 1.23.9

@phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.23.9

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

AI Security Review

scanned 12d ago · by lpm-firewall-ai

The inspected sources support a warning for workflow-driven agent configuration changes, not a confirmed malicious attack. The package’s postinstall script distinguishes local installs from global alias setup, and the inspected credential request targets its service endpoint.

Static reason

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

Trigger

A user runs a workflow through the CLI.

Impact

Workflow content can affect the agent installation used for that run; the inspected evidence does not show silent installation-time mutation or credential theft.

Mechanism

The command copies selected workflow subagent files and synchronizes workflow plugins into the Claude version directory.

AI rationale

Evidence

dist/commands/exec.jsdist/lib/accounting/usage.js

Network endpoints1

api.anthropic.com/api/oauth/usage

Decision evidence

public snapshot

AI called this Suspicious at 84.0% confidence as Dangerous Capability with medium false-positive risk.

Evidence for warning

Running a workflow through the CLI can copy its subagent definitions into the selected Claude version’s agent directory.
The same workflow path can synchronize bundled plugins into that Claude version when the workflow is run.
The package has a postinstall hook; the inspected script limits its setup to local directory creation or global alias shims.
Usage requests send bearer tokens to the corresponding service’s usage endpoint.

Evidence against

The inspected workflow integration is reached through CLI workflow execution; no npm install-time agent configuration write was identified.
The inspected usage request targets Anthropic’s usage endpoint, consistent with the credential’s service.
The plugin command excerpt reads plugin settings; it does not show an unsolicited configuration write.
The fixture excerpt writes test session data under a supplied temporary home.

Behavioral surface

Source

ChildProcessCryptoDynamicRequireEnvironmentVarsFilesystem

Source & flagged code

23 flagged

package.jsonView file

Lines 28-68json

28 "CHANGELOG.md",

29 "README.md",

30 "LICENSE"

31 ],

32 "publishConfig": {

33 "provenance": true

34 },

35 "repository": {

36 "type": "git",

37 "url": "git+https://github.com/phnx-labs/agi-cli.git"

38 },

39 "homepage": "https://agents-cli.sh",

40 "bugs": {

41 "url": "https://github.com/phnx-labs/agi-cli/issues"

42 },

43 "scripts": {

44 "build": "tsc && rm -rf 'dist/lib/menubar/MenubarHelper.app' && ([ -f 'bin/agents-macos' ] && mkdir -p dist/bin && cp -f 'bin/agents-macos' 'dist/bin/agents' && chmod 755 'dist/bin/agents' || true)",

45 "build:bin": "scripts/build-bin.sh",

46 "prepare": "npm run build",

47 "prepack": "cp ../README.md README.md",

48 "postinstall": "node scripts/postinstall.js",

High

Install Time Lifecycle Scripts

Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.

package.jsonView on unpkg · L48

Medium

Ambiguous Install Lifecycle Script

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

package.jsonView on unpkg · L48

49 "dev": "tsx src/index.ts",

50 "changelog": "bun scripts/gen-changelog.ts",

51 "gen:index": "bun scripts/gen-command-index.ts",

52 "verify:index": "bash scripts/verify-command-index.sh",

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

54 "test": "TZ=UTC node ./node_modules/vitest/vitest.mjs run",

55 "bench": "node ./node_modules/vitest/vitest.mjs bench --run",

56 "typecheck:bench": "tsc --noEmit --ignoreConfig --skipLibCheck --module esnext --moduleResolution bundler --target es2022 --strict --esModuleInterop --lib es2022 --types node src/lib/*.bench.ts src/lib/**/*.bench.ts",

57 "test:remote": "scripts/sandbox.sh test",

58 "verify-docs": "scripts/verify-docs.sh",

59 "test:watch": "node ./node_modules/vitest/vitest.mjs"

60 },

61 "keywords": [

62 "agents",

63 "cli",

64 "dotfiles",

65 "claude",

66 "codex",

67 "cursor",

68 "opencode",

dist/bootstrap.jsView file

293if (answer === 'now') { L294: const { spawnSync } = await import('child_process'); L295: let spinner = ora('Resolving package metadata...').start();

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

dist/bootstrap.jsView on unpkg · L293

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

Lines 1-25javascript

1import { exec } from 'child_process';

2import * as fs from 'fs';

3import * as path from 'path';

dist/lib/sqlite.jsView file

Lines 1-22javascript

1import { createRequire } from 'module';

2const isBun = typeof globalThis.Bun !== 'undefined';

3const require = createRequire(

dist/lib/platform/ipc.jsView file

1import * as crypto from 'crypto'; L2: export function ipcEndpoint(socketPath, platform = process.platform) { L3: if (platform === 'win32') {

Low

Weak Crypto

Package source references weak cryptographic algorithms.

dist/lib/platform/ipc.jsView on unpkg · L1

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

Lines 1-21javascript

1import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';

2import { execFileSync, spawnSync, spawn } from 'child_process';

3import * as fs from 'fs';

Medium

Install Persistence

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

dist/lib/daemon/testdata/process-view-start.jsView file

Lines 1-23javascript

1import assert from 'node:assert/strict';

2import fs from 'node:fs';

3import path from 'node:path';

4import net from 'node:net'

dist/commands/setup-fleet.jsView file

1import chalk from 'chalk'; L2: import { spawnSync } from 'node:child_process'; L3: import { getCliLaunch } from '../lib/cli-entry.js'; ... L17: const launch = getCliLaunch(args); L18: const res = spawnSync(launch.command, launch.args, { stdio: 'inherit', env: process.env }); L19: if ((res.status ?? 1) === 0) ... L42: console.error(chalk.red('Tailscale is not installed or not on PATH.')); L43: const platform = process.platform; L44: console.log(chalk.bold('\nInstall Tailscale, then re-run `agents setup fleet`:')); ... L46: console.log(chalk.cyan(' brew install --cask tailscale')); L47: console.log(chalk.gray(' or install from https://tailscale.com/download/mac')); L48: }

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 · L1

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.53 matchedPath = dist/commands/setup-fleet.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.53 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

11Install-time code directly mutates a foreign AI-agent control surface: L38: const LOG_ROTATE_COUNT = 3; L39: const PLIST_NAME = 'com.phnx-labs.agents-daemon'; L40: const SYSTEMD_UNIT = 'agents-daemon.service'; ... L73: const dir = getDaemonDir(); L74: fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true }); L75: return dir; ... L152: export function writeDaemonPid(pid) { L153: fs.writeFileSync(getPidPath(), String(pid), 'utf-8'); L154: } ... L176: try { L177: fs.writeFileSync(getHeartbeatPath(), JSON.stringify(hb), 'utf-8'); L178: } Write operation from scripts/postinstall.js: L11: const HOME = os.homedir(); L12: const USER_DIR = path.join(HOME, '.agents'); L13: const SHIMS_DIR = path.join(USER_DIR, '.cache', 'shims'); ... L67: const script = `#!/bin/sh\nAGENTS_BIN=${shellQuote(AGENTS_BIN)}\nif [ -z "$AGEN

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 · L11

dist/lib/state.jsView file

•Manifest-trigger-reachable source links an external AI-agent control path to a behavior-bearing write operation. import * as fs from 'fs'; import * as path from 'path'; import * as os from 'os'; import * as yaml from 'yaml'; import { stringifydoc } from './yaml-io.js'; import { execfilesync } from 'child_process'; import { ensurelocktarget, atomicwritefilesync, withfilelock } from './fs-atomic.js'; import { default_system_repo, systemreposlug } from './types.js'; import { machineid } from './machine-id.js'; const home = process.env.home ?? os.homedir(); function issamepath(a, b) { try { return fs.realpathsync.native(a) === fs.realpathsync.native(b); } catch { const norm = (p) => process.platform === 'win32' ? path.resolve(p).tolowercase() : path.resolve(p);

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/state.jsView on unpkg

scripts/postinstall.jsView file

7Trigger-reachable persistence chain: scripts.postinstall -> scripts/postinstall.js L7: import * as readline from 'readline'; L8: import { spawnSync } from 'child_process'; L9: import { fileURLToPath } from 'url'; L10: L11: const HOME = os.homedir(); L12: const USER_DIR = path.join(HOME, '.agents'); ... L19: function resolveAgentsBin() { L20: if (process.platform !== 'darwin') return AGENTS_JS_ENTRYPOINT; L21: try { ... L66: const target = path.join(SHIMS_DIR, name); L67: 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... L68: 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 · L7

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

•path = dist/session-tracker/dist/hook.sh kind = build_helper sizeBytes = 4499 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 = 26

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/session/discover.jsView file

•matchType = token_shingles matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.109 matchedPath = dist/lib/session/discover.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.109 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/session/discover.jsView on unpkg

dist/lib/tmux/binary.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.53 matchedPath = dist/lib/tmux/binary.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.53 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/loop.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.53 matchedPath = dist/lib/loop.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.53 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/models.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.109 matchedPath = dist/lib/models.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.109 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/models.jsView on unpkg

dist/lib/session/provenance.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.53 matchedPath = dist/lib/session/provenance.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.53 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@1.22.53 matchedPath = dist/lib/auto-pull.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.53 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 = token_shingles matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.53 matchedPath = dist/commands/message.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.53 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/commands/message.jsView on unpkg

dist/lib/teams/forEach.jsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.22.53 matchedPath = dist/lib/teams/forEach.js matchedIdentity = npm:QHBobngtbGFicy9hZ2VudHMtY2xp:1.22.53 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/teams/forEach.jsView on unpkg

Source & flagged code

23 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

293if (answer === 'now') { L294: const { spawnSync } = await import('child_process'); L295: let spinner = ora('Resolving package metadata...').start();

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

dist/bootstrap.jsView on unpkg · L293

Findings

1 Critical17 High7 Medium6 Low

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

HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json

HighChild Processdist/bootstrap.js

HighShelldist/session-tracker/dist/reader.js

HighSame File Env Network Executiondist/lib/daemon/testdata/process-view-start.js

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

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

HighTrigger Reachable Persistencescripts/postinstall.js

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

HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/lib/session/discover.js

Affected versions and remediation

This report applies to @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.23.9.

See all versions of @phnx-labs/agents-cli for other recorded verdicts.

Review the evidence and your use of @phnx-labs/agents-cli@1.23.9 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: 2026-10-11 12:27:02.869Z (UTC).

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

AI Security Review

Decision evidence

Source & flagged code

Source & flagged code

Findings

Affected versions and remediation

Runtime surface

Behavioral surface

Source & flagged code