balena-cli@25.2.9
The official balena Command Line Interface
AI Security Review
scanned 2d ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe package’s core deployment and account operations are user-invoked and use balena’s configured service. However, default Sentry error reporting attaches the account username and sends error data to a third-party endpoint, which makes this suspicious telemetry under the review rules.
Static reason
One or more suspicious static signals were detected.
Trigger
Running the CLI and encountering an unexpected error; Sentry reporting is on unless BALENARC_NO_SENTRY is set.
Impact
A third-party service receives an account identifier together with reported error data.
Mechanism
The CLI associates the cached balena username with Sentry’s scope, initializes Sentry with a fixed sentry.io DSN, and captures unexpected errors.
AI rationale
The package’s core deployment and account operations are user-invoked and use balena’s configured service. However, default Sentry error reporting attaches the account username and sends error data to a third-party endpoint, which makes this suspicious telemetry under the review rules.
Evidence
build/app.jsbuild/events.jsbuild/errors.js
Network endpoints2
sentry.iodata.<balenaUrl>
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Suspicious at 84.0% confidence as Unknown with medium false-positive risk.
Evidence for warning
- Each CLI command can attach the cached balena username and user ID to Sentry’s scope; unexpected errors are then reported to sentry.io by default.
- Sentry setup is enabled unless BALENARC_NO_SENTRY is set.
- Command analytics send the command name, balena account username, version and runtime details to data.<balenaUrl>.
- The postinstall script applies package patches; the only patch file found is the patch runner itself.
Evidence against
- The Sentry report is tied to CLI error handling, not an install-time hook.
- The balena command analytics endpoint is derived from the configured balena service URL and has a BALENARC_NO_ANALYTICS opt-out.
- Legacy deployment uploads the Docker image and optionally build logs to a builder host derived from the configured balena URL, using the balena token during a deploy command.
- The SSH key add command reads the user-specified key and submits it to the logged-in balena account.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessCryptoEnvironmentVarsFilesystem
Source & flagged code
9 flaggedpackage.jsonView file
•scripts.postinstall = node patches/apply-patches.js
High
Install Time Lifecycle Scripts
Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.
package.jsonView on unpkgoclif.manifest.jsonView file
221patternName = generic_password
severity = medium
line = 221
Medium
772patternName = generic_password
severity = medium
line = 772
Medium
Findings
3 High9 Medium5 Low
HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json
HighSandbox Evasion Gated Capabilitybuild/utils/sudo.js
HighSemantic Analysis Limitedbuild/commands/deploy/index.js#virtual:string-array:round1
MediumSecret Patternoclif.manifest.json
MediumNetwork
MediumEnvironment Vars
MediumShips Build Helperbin/dev.cmd
MediumStructural Risk Force Deep Review
MediumSecret Patternoclif.manifest.json
MediumSecret Patternoclif.manifest.json
MediumSecret Patternbuild/utils/messages.js
MediumSecret Patternsrc/utils/messages.ts
LowNon Install Lifecycle Scripts
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to balena-cli@25.2.9.
See all versions of balena-cli for other recorded verdicts.
- Review the evidence and your use of balena-cli@25.2.9 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: .
Think this verdict is wrong? Dispute it on GitHub or read how reports are produced.