chemx@26.9.20-369
Chemical X Protocol: Private drop-in architecture starter kit and capsule generator
AI Security Review
scanned 11d ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe postinstall hook automatically mutates project and conditional user-level AI-agent control configurations without consent, meeting the policy for blocking unconsented install-time control-surface mutation. The evidence supports the control hijack classification without establishing credential theft.
Static reason
High-risk behavior combination matched malicious policy.; previous stored version diff introduced dangerous source
Trigger
Installing the package through npm and running its postinstall hook.
Impact
The configured agents can launch the chemx MCP command in the consumer project or through npx.
Mechanism
The hook calls the MCP installer, which merges a server entry into project Cursor and VS Code files and into the user-level Gemini configuration when its directory exists.
Policy narrative
During npm installation, the postinstall hook targets the consumer directory and registers an MCP server in editor configuration; it also updates the user's Gemini MCP configuration when that configuration directory already exists. This creates an agent capability without an approval step. The source establishes configuration mutation and command registration, but does not establish credential theft or other payload behavior.
AI rationale
The postinstall hook automatically mutates project and conditional user-level AI-agent control configurations without consent, meeting the policy for blocking unconsented install-time control-surface mutation. The evidence supports the control hijack classification without establishing credential theft.
Evidence
package.jsoncli/postinstall.jscli/mcp/installer.js
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI identified this as a dangerous AI-agent capability at 98.0% confidence with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for policy risk
- package.json defines a postinstall script that runs cli/postinstall.js.
- The postinstall hook targets the consumer directory and invokes installAllMcpConfigs without a consent check.
- The installer writes merged MCP server configuration to project Cursor and VS Code files.
- When a Gemini config directory exists, the installer writes a merged user-level MCP config and registers the chemx MCP command.
- The auto-added server command can invoke the local CLI or fall back to npx -y chemx mcp.
Evidence against
- The project configuration merge retains existing configuration; the added server is identified as chemical-x.
- Other flagged process execution and network references are consistent with Git status, caller-provided build commands, and license validation endpoints. The inspected evidence does not establish those as attack behavior.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetworkShell
Source & flagged code
11 flagged · loading sourcepackage.jsonView file
•scripts.postinstall = node cli/postinstall.js
High
Install Time Lifecycle Scripts
Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.
package.jsonView on unpkg•scripts.postinstall = node cli/postinstall.js
Medium
Ambiguous Install Lifecycle Script
Install-time lifecycle script is not statically allowlisted and needs review.
package.jsonView on unpkgcli/errors/errors.spec.jsView file
27patternName = github_pat
severity = critical
line = 27
Critical
Critical Secret
Package contains a critical-looking secret pattern.
cli/errors/errors.spec.jsView on unpkg · L27Findings
3 Critical6 High5 Medium4 Low
CriticalCritical Secretcli/errors/errors.spec.js
CriticalAi Agent Control Hijackcli/mcp/installer.js
CriticalSecret Patterncli/errors/errors.spec.js
HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json
HighChild Processcli/audit-preflight-git.js
HighShellcli/build/executor.js
HighSame File Env Network Executioncli/license.js
HighTrigger Reachable External Ai Agent Control Surface Mutationcli/scaffold.js
HighPrevious Version Dangerous Deltacli/license.js
MediumAmbiguous Install Lifecycle Scriptpackage.json
MediumNetwork
MediumEnvironment Vars
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to chemx@26.9.20-369.
See all versions of chemx for other recorded verdicts.
- Avoid installing chemx@26.9.20-369. 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: .
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