socket@1.1.163
CLI for Socket.dev
AI Security Review
scanned 2mo ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThere is no concrete malicious install-time or automatic behavior, but the opaque executable JAR prevents a clean verdict under the required source-only review. The observed command execution is user-invoked and package-aligned.
Static reason
High-risk behavior combination matched malicious policy.; previous stored version diff introduced dangerous source
Trigger
Running the socket CLI, particularly reachability analysis options.
Impact
The CLI can execute configured analysis/build tooling against the user project; no secret exfiltration or install-time mutation was confirmed.
Mechanism
User-invoked process spawning, analysis-file writes, and an opaque Maven extension.
AI rationale
There is no concrete malicious install-time or automatic behavior, but the opaque executable JAR prevents a clean verdict under the required source-only review. The observed command execution is user-invoked and package-aligned.
Evidence
bin/cli.jsdist/cli.jsdist/manifest-scripts/maven-extension/coana-maven-extension.jarexternal/blessed/lib/tput.js.cache
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Suspicious at 72.0% confidence as Unknown with medium false-positive risk.
Evidence for warning
- The package ships an opaque Maven extension JAR, so its compiled classes cannot be fully assessed from JavaScript source.
- The user-invoked CLI launches the bundled JavaScript command with inherited environment variables.
- The bundled CLI can write analysis sidecar data and invoke external build-analysis tooling.
- A vendored terminal library dynamically compiles generated terminal-formatting code.
Evidence against
- package.json has no preinstall, install, or postinstall hook.
- The executable is activated through the declared socket command, not during installation or import.
- The inspected CLI file writes a temporary analysis sidecar and explicitly disables Coana report submission.
- The flagged registry file is a bundled dependency implementation; inspection found no concrete credential upload in the reviewed portions.
- No self-dependency, persistence mechanism, or broad agent-control-surface mutation was found.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessCryptoDynamicRequireEnvironmentVars
Source & flagged code
18 flaggedbin/cli.jsView file
19L20: const spawnPromise = spawn(
L21: constants.execPath,
High
external/blessed/lib/tput.jsView file
1152if (this.options.stringify && code.indexOf('return ') === 0) {
L1153: return new Function('', code)();
L1154: }
High
Eval
Package source references dynamic code evaluation.
external/blessed/lib/tput.jsView on unpkg · L1152bin/npm-cli.jsView file
4void (async () => {
L5: const Module = require('node:module')
L6: const path = require('node:path')
Medium
Findings
3 Critical9 High8 Medium6 Low
CriticalCredential Exfiltrationexternal/@socketsecurity/registry/external/libnpmpack.js
CriticalTrigger Reachable Dangerous Capabilitydist/vendor.js
CriticalPrevious Version Dangerous Deltadist/cli.js
HighChild Processbin/cli.js
HighShell
HighEvalexternal/blessed/lib/tput.js
HighCommand Output Exfiltrationdist/vendor.js
HighCross File Remote Execution Contextdist/cli.js
HighTrigger Reachable Credential Exfiltrationdist/vendor.js
HighTrigger Reachable Persistencedist/cli.js
HighShips High Entropy Blobdist/manifest-scripts/maven-extension/coana-maven-extension.jar
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to socket@1.1.163.
See all versions of socket for other recorded verdicts.
- Review the evidence and your use of socket@1.1.163 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.