helper-agent@1.0.3
Authorized HTB dependency-resolution canary
AI Security Review
scanned 11d ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe automatic postinstall hook performs targeted flag discovery and transmits any match to a local challenge service. The localhost restriction and challenge-record check limit activation but do not prevent the secret disclosure.
Static reason
One or more suspicious static signals were detected.
Trigger
Installation of the package when a matching local challenge API is available.
Impact
A flag found by the hook is disclosed to the local challenge service and stored in its module record.
Mechanism
The hook reads flag-shaped values from selected environment variables or files, then includes the result in a manifest sent by HTTP PUT to a localhost API.
Attack narrative
On installation, the package searches selected environment variables and filesystem locations for an HTB flag. If a specific local challenge application record is present, it inserts the flag into the record's manifest and sends it to the local API.
AI rationale
The automatic postinstall hook performs targeted flag discovery and transmits any match to a local challenge service. The localhost restriction and challenge-record check limit activation but do not prevent the secret disclosure.
Evidence
package.jsonprobe.cjs/flag/flag.txt/app/flag/app/flag.txt/home/node/flag.txt/home/app/flag.txt/opt/app/flag.txt
Network endpoints5
127.0.0.1:1337127.0.0.1:3000127.0.0.1:8080127.0.0.1:5000127.0.0.1:80
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Malicious at 94.0% confidence as Malware with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for block
- The postinstall hook automatically runs probe.cjs.
- The script searches environment variables and common files for an HTB flag.
- It targets localhost APIs and, after matching a specific challenge record, writes the discovered flag into that record.
Evidence against
- The network requests are limited to localhost and require a matching challenge record before the update.
Behavioral surface
EnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetwork
UrlStrings
NoLicense
Source & flagged code
6 flagged · loading sourcepackage.jsonView file
•scripts.postinstall = node probe.cjs
High
Install Time Lifecycle Scripts
Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.
package.jsonView on unpkg5"scripts": {
"postinstall": "node probe.cjs"
},
"license": "UNLIC
High
Suspicious Lifecycle Evidence
The postinstall hook automatically runs probe.cjs.
package.jsonView on unpkg · L5probe.cjsView file
23function findFlag() {
for (const key of ["FLAG", "HTB_FLAG"]) {
const match = process.env[key]?.match(/HTB\{[^}\r\n]+\}/);
if (match) return match[0];
}
for (const file of FLAG_FILES) {
try {
const contents = fs.readFileSync(file, "utf8");
const match = contents.match(/HTB\{[^}\r\n]+\}/);
if (match) return match[0];
} catch {}
}
return null;
}
async function m
High
Ai Review Evidence
The script searches environment variables and common files for an HTB flag.
Findings
6 High2 Medium4 Low
HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json
HighSuspicious Lifecycle Evidencepackage.json
HighAi Review Evidenceprobe.cjs
HighAi Review Evidenceprobe.cjs
HighAi Review Evidenceprobe.cjs
HighAi Review Evidenceprobe.cjs
MediumNetwork
MediumEnvironment Vars
LowScripts Present
LowFilesystem
LowUrl Strings
LowNo License
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to helper-agent@1.0.3.
See all versions of helper-agent for other recorded verdicts.
- Avoid installing helper-agent@1.0.3. 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: .
Think this verdict is wrong? Dispute it on GitHub or read how reports are produced.