@sciagent/cli@1.0.62
SciAgent CLI - AI Research Assistant
AI Security Review
scanned 3mo ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe package has an unconsented postinstall payload-provisioning chain with weak artifact verification and global dependency mutation. Source inspection does not establish that the retrieved payload is malicious or that a foreign AI-agent control surface is hijacked, so blocking is not justified.
Static reason
One or more suspicious static signals were detected.; previous stored version diff introduced dangerous source
Trigger
`npm install` runs postinstall; later the user runs `sciagent`.
Impact
A compromised configured release, mirror, redirect, or fetched package can supply executable code that persists in the user profile and runs with the installing user's privileges.
Mechanism
install-time remote binary acquisition plus global npm installation
AI rationale
The package has an unconsented postinstall payload-provisioning chain with weak artifact verification and global dependency mutation. Source inspection does not establish that the retrieved payload is malicious or that a foreign AI-agent control surface is hijacked, so blocking is not justified.
Evidence
package.jsonscripts/postinstall.jsbin/sciagent.js~/.sciagent/bin/sciagent~/.sciagent/bin/codebuddy-headless%LOCALAPPDATA%\sciagent\bin\sciagent%LOCALAPPDATA%\sciagent\bin\codebuddy-headless
Network endpoints6
u250924-adc6-f977430f.westb.seetacloud.com:8443api.github.com/repos/poisondrinker/research-agent/releasesmirrors.cloud.tencent.com/pypi/pypi/codebuddy-agent-sdk/jsonmirrors.aliyun.com/pypi/pypi/codebuddy-agent-sdk/jsonpypi.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/pypi/pypi/codebuddy-agent-sdk/jsonpypi.org/pypi/codebuddy-agent-sdk/json
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Suspicious at 90.0% confidence as Dangerous Capability with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for warning
- `package.json` invokes `scripts/postinstall.js` automatically.
- `scripts/postinstall.js` downloads native CLI and CodeBuddy binaries during postinstall.
- Downloads are written executable under `~/.sciagent/bin` or `%LOCALAPPDATA%\sciagent\bin`.
- Remote artifacts are accepted by size only; no hash or signature check is present.
- Postinstall runs `npm install -g @tencent-ai/codebuddy-code` as a fallback.
- `bin/sciagent.js` later spawns the downloaded local binary.
Evidence against
- No credential, environment-value, SSH, or browser-data harvesting found.
- No outbound upload or exfiltration logic found.
- No destructive file operations beyond temporary-download cleanup found.
- No writes to Claude, Cursor, Copilot, MCP, or other agent control-surface configuration found.
- The launcher executes a SciAgent path only after an explicit `sciagent` command.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetworkShell
Source & flagged code
5 flagged · loading sourcepackage.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 unpkgbin/sciagent.jsView file
7L8: const { spawn } = require('child_process');
L9: const path = require('path');
High
Findings
1 Critical4 High4 Medium4 Low
CriticalPrevious Version Dangerous Deltascripts/postinstall.js
HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json
HighChild Processbin/sciagent.js
HighShell
HighRuntime Package Installscripts/postinstall.js
MediumAmbiguous Install Lifecycle Scriptpackage.json
MediumNetwork
MediumEnvironment Vars
MediumStructural Risk Force Deep Review
LowScripts Present
LowFilesystem
LowHigh Entropy Strings
LowUrl Strings
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to @sciagent/cli@1.0.62.
See all versions of @sciagent/cli for other recorded verdicts.
- Review the evidence and your use of @sciagent/cli@1.0.62 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: .
Think this verdict is wrong? Dispute it on GitHub or read how reports are produced.