emp-code@0.5.10
EMP CLI - coding agent with full-screen TUI (ink, clickable tool output, mouse, plan mode, markdown, vision) and 18 providers. Runs great on any light PC / weak CPU / old motherboard. Sessions, context, effort, web search, background tasks, revert.
AI Security Review
scanned 2mo ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe package contains a concrete unauthenticated remote command-execution path in its web mode. It is not an automatic install-time attack, but it is a critical runtime vulnerability.
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
The user runs emp web while the service port is reachable by an attacker.
Impact
Remote code execution with the permissions and environment of the user running EMP.
Mechanism
Unauthenticated MCP server registration followed by child-process spawning.
AI rationale
The package contains a concrete unauthenticated remote command-execution path in its web mode. It is not an automatic install-time attack, but it is a critical runtime vulnerability.
Evidence
bin/emp.jsemp-web/server.cjslib/mcp.js.emp/mcp.jsonworkspace/.emp/mcp.json
Network endpoints2
0.0.0.0/api/mcp/servers
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Suspicious at 99.0% confidence as Critical Vulnerability with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for warning
- The web command starts an HTTP service for the current workspace.
- The web service enables automatic approval by default and listens on every network interface.
- An unauthenticated POST endpoint accepts an MCP command and immediately reloads it.
- Reloading starts the supplied command with the service environment, enabling remote command execution.
Evidence against
- The vulnerable web service is started only when the user runs the emp web command; the install hook does not start it.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessDynamicRequireEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetworkShell
HighEntropyStringsMinifiedUrlStrings
NoLicense
Source & flagged code
25 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/emp.jsView file
4try {
L5: const exeName = process.platform === 'win32' ? 'emp-win.exe' : process.platform === 'darwin' ? 'emp-macos' : 'emp-linux';
L6: const exePath = require('path').join(__dirname, '..', 'dist', exeName);
L7: if (require('fs').existsSync(exePath)) {
L8: const { spawn } = require('child_process');
L9: const child = spawn(exePath, process.argv.slice(2), { stdio: 'inherit' });
...
L31:
L32: const VERSION = require('../package.json').version;
L33: const versionMod = require('../lib/version');
...
L39: const msg = err && err.stack || err && err.message || String(err);
L40: try { process.stderr.write(`\n[emp: uncaught] ${msg}\n`); } catch {}
L41:
Findings
4 Critical18 High6 Medium6 Low
CriticalPersistence Backdoorbin/emp.js
CriticalDownload Executelib/tools.js
CriticalTrigger Reachable Dangerous Capabilitybin/emp.js
CriticalPrevious Version Dangerous Deltaemp-web/dist/server.cjs
HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json
HighChild Processbin/emp.js
HighShelllib/tools.js
HighSandbox Evasion Gated Capabilitybin/emp.js
HighRemote Agent Bridgebin/emp.js
HighSpawned Bundled Service Listenerbin/emp.js
HighTrigger Reachable Persistencebin/emp.js
HighSemantic Analysis Limitedbin/emp.js
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to emp-code@0.5.10.
See all versions of emp-code for other recorded verdicts.
- Review the evidence and your use of emp-code@0.5.10 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.