registry / Install hook abuse / trace-mcp

trace-mcp

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This report shows the evidence for trace-mcp@3.25.1. 2 of 82 known versions are blocked or flagged. The newest version, 3.38.0, is flagged. See all versions.

AI Security Review

scanned 1mo ago · by lpm-firewall-ai

The package implements a complete automatic self-update and lifecycle re-entry chain alongside persistent user-level service installation and application replacement. This is concrete install-hook abuse, not ordinary user-invoked setup.

Static reason

One or more suspicious static signals were detected.; source matched previously finalized malicious package; routed for review; previous stored version diff introduced dangerous source

Trigger

npm postinstall, then normal daemon runtime while automatic updates remain enabled

Impact

A later registry release can execute its postinstall and replace application or user-level launcher state automatically.

Mechanism

self-updating lifecycle chain with LaunchAgent persistence

Attack narrative

The package invokes its postinstall automatically. That hook writes user-level launcher state and bootstraps a LaunchAgent. Once the daemon runs, it checks the npm registry and executes a forced global install of a newer trace-mcp release. That nested install re-enters the same postinstall chain, which can refresh persistence and download or replace installed application bundles. This gives a future package release an automatic path to execute install-time code and alter persistent local state without a user issuing an update command.

AI rationale

Evidence

package.jsonscripts/postinstall-control-plane.mjsscripts/postinstall-app.mjsdist/cli.js~/.trace/~/.trace-mcp/~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.trace-mcp.server.plistinstalled trace-mcp application bundles

Network endpoints2

registry.npmjs.org/trace-mcp/latestapi.github.com

Decision evidence

public snapshot

AI called this Malicious at 97.0% confidence as Malware with low false-positive risk.

Evidence for block

Its automatic postinstall runs two package scripts that alter user-level state.
The postinstall writes and bootstraps a persistent macOS LaunchAgent.
At runtime the daemon fetches the latest version and silently runs a forced global install of its own package.
The install hook downloads release assets and can replace installed application bundles.

Evidence against

The release download code checks a sibling SHA-256 asset before applying the downloaded bundle.
No direct credential harvesting or secret exfiltration was identified in the inspected paths.

Behavioral surface

Source

ChildProcessCryptoDynamicRequireEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNativeBindingsNetworkShellWebSocket

Supply chain

HighEntropyStringsUrlStrings

ManifestNo manifest risk signals triggered.

scanned 75 file(s), 3.09 MB of source, external domains: 127.0.0.1, analyticsdata.googleapis.com, api.github.com, cloud.langfuse.com, feross.org, github.com, json-schema.org, oauth2.googleapis.com, raw.githubusercontent.com, registry.npmjs.org, schema.org, trace-mcp.com, www.apple.com, www.googleapis.com, www.w3.org

Source & flagged code

17 flagged

package.jsonView file

Lines 15-55json

15 "dev": "tsup --watch",

16 "test": "vitest run",

17 "test:watch": "vitest",

18 "test:recall": "vitest run tests/recall-harness/recall.test.ts",

19 "test:recall:report": "tsx tests/recall-harness/runner.ts",

20 "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",

21 "lint": "tsc --noEmit",

22 "format": "biome format --write",

23 "format:check": "biome format",

24 "biome:ci": "biome ci",

25 "serve": "tsx src/cli.ts serve",

26 "check:remote-claims": "node scripts/check-remote-claims.mjs",

27 "count:tools": "node scripts/count-advertised-tools.mjs",

28 "record:wire-fixtures": "tsx scripts/record-wire-fixtures.ts",

29 "replay:check": "tsx scripts/replay-eval.ts",

30 "replay:update-baseline": "tsx scripts/replay-eval.ts --update-baseline",

31 "bench:state-replay": "tsx scripts/state-trace-replay.ts",

32 "bench:state-recall": "tsx scripts/bench-state-recall.ts",

33 "bench:index-throughput": "tsx scripts/bench-index-throughput.ts --json docs/perf/index-throughput.json",

34 "bench:session-scaling": "tsx scripts/bench-session-scaling.ts",

35 "postinstall": "node scripts/preflight-native.mjs && node scripts/postinstall-app.mjs && node scripts/postinstall-control-plane.mjs",

High

Install Time Lifecycle Scripts

Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.

package.jsonView on unpkg · L35

Medium

Ambiguous Install Lifecycle Script

Install-time lifecycle script is not statically allowlisted and needs review.

package.jsonView on unpkg · L35

36 "prepublishOnly": "pnpm run build",

37 "prepare": "simple-git-hooks",

38 "docs:sitemap": "node scripts/gen-sitemap.mjs && node scripts/gen-llms-full.mjs",

39 "docs:language-matrix": "tsx scripts/language-matrix.ts",

40 "docs:tools-index": "tsx scripts/tools-index.ts",

41 "docs:config-index": "tsx scripts/config-index.ts",

42 "gen:tz-country": "node scripts/gen-tz-country.mjs"

43 },

44 "simple-git-hooks": {

45 "pre-commit": "pnpm exec lint-staged"

46 },

47 "lint-staged": {

48 "*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx,mjs,cjs,json,jsonc,css}": [

49 "biome check --write --no-errors-on-unmatched"

50 ]

51 },

52 "engines": {

53 "node": ">=22.0.0"

54 },

55 "packageManager": "pnpm@10.33.0",

dist/proxy.jsView file

27320// src/daemon/lifecycle.ts L27321: import { execSync, execFileSync, spawn } from "child_process"; L27322: import fs11 from "fs";

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

dist/proxy.jsView on unpkg · L27320

2474function hasPreloadFlags() { L2475: const execArgv = process.execArgv; L2476: for (let i = 0; i < execArgv.length; i++) {

High

Shell

Package source references shell execution.

dist/proxy.jsView on unpkg · L2474

2import { createRequire as __tmcpCreateRequire } from 'node:module'; L3: const require = __tmcpCreateRequire(import.meta.url); L4: var __create = Object.create;

Medium

Dynamic Require

Package source references dynamic require/import behavior.

dist/proxy.jsView on unpkg · L2

1103for (var i = 0; i < flen; ) { L1104: if (f.charCodeAt(i) === 37 && i + 1 < flen) { L1105: lastPos = lastPos > -1 ? lastPos : 0; ... L1338: fsWriteSync = () => fs16.writeSync(this.fd, this._writingBuf); L1339: fsWrite = () => fs16.write(this.fd, this._writingBuf, this.release); L1340: } else if (contentMode === void 0 || contentMode === kContentModeUtf8) { ... L1903: L1904: // node_modules/.pnpm/thread-stream@4.0.0/node_modules/thread-stream/package.json L1905: var require_package = __commonJS({ ... L1943: type: "git", L1944: url: "git+https://github.com/mcollina/thread-stream.git" L1945: },

scripts/capture-screenshots.mjs#virtual:normalized:round1View file

390// six grey placeholders is exactly the failure this pipeline exists to avoid. L391: const dashboard = `http://127.0.0.1:${DEMO_DAEMON_PORT}/api/dashboard`; L392: await fetch(`${dashboard}/refresh`, { method: "POST" }); ... L402: * The guard"s health comes from a heartbeat an attached agent session writes.\n * A capture has no agent, so without this the showcase screenshot ships a red\n * \"Not running\" ba... L403: * policy") — the window comes up blank. Assigning `location.href` inside the\n * document keeps the app's own file origin, exactly as the main process does.\n */\nasync function na... L404: return;

High

Same File Env Network Execution

A single source file combines environment access, network access, and code or shell execution; review context before blocking.

scripts/capture-screenshots.mjs#virtual:normalized:round1View on unpkg · L390

390// six grey placeholders is exactly the failure this pipeline exists to avoid. L391: const dashboard = `http://127.0.0.1:${DEMO_DAEMON_PORT}/api/dashboard`; L392: await fetch(`${dashboard}/refresh`, { method: "POST" }); ... L401: /** L402: * The guard"s health comes from a heartbeat an attached agent session writes.\n * A capture has no agent, so without this the showcase screenshot ships a red\n * \"Not running\" ba... L403: * policy") — the window comes up blank. Assigning `location.href` inside the\n * document keeps the app's own file origin, exactly as the main process does.\n */\nasync function na... L404: return;

High

Command Output Exfiltration

Source combines command execution, command-output handling, and outbound requests; review data flow before blocking.

scripts/capture-screenshots.mjs#virtual:normalized:round1View on unpkg · L390

scripts/verify-upgrade-path.mjsView file

25L26: import { execFileSync } from 'node:child_process'; L27: import fs from 'node:fs'; ... L34: L35: if (process.platform !== 'darwin') { L36: console.log('skip: macOS only'); ... L48: const repoRoot = path.resolve(new URL('..', import.meta.url).pathname); L49: const expected = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(repoRoot, 'package.json'), 'utf-8')).version; L50: ... L62: try { L63: const res = await fetch(`https://api.github.com/repos/${REPO}/releases?per_page=10`, { L64: headers: { 'User-Agent': 'trace-mcp' },

High

Sandbox Evasion Gated Capability

Source gates dangerous network, credential, or execution behavior behind CI, host, platform, time, or geo fingerprint checks.

scripts/verify-upgrade-path.mjsView on unpkg · L25

scripts/record-wire-fixtures.tsView file

20* Usage: L21: * npx tsx scripts/record-wire-fixtures.ts [--project <root>] [--port <port>] L22: * ... L25: */ L26: import { spawn } from 'node:child_process'; L27: import fs from 'node:fs';

High

Runtime Package Install

Package source invokes a package manager install command at runtime.

scripts/record-wire-fixtures.tsView on unpkg · L20

hooks/trace-mcp-reindex.shView file

•path = hooks/trace-mcp-reindex.sh kind = build_helper sizeBytes = 8298 magicHex = [redacted]

Medium

Ships Build Helper

Package ships non-JavaScript build or shell helper files.

hooks/trace-mcp-reindex.shView on unpkg

dist/snapshot-backend.jsView file

•path = dist/snapshot-backend.js kind = oversized_source_file sizeBytes = 11105447 magicHex = [redacted]

Medium

Oversized Source File

Package contains source files above the normal full-analysis size ceiling.

dist/snapshot-backend.jsView on unpkg

dist/cli.jsView file

•path = dist/cli.js kind = oversized_cli_entrypoint sizeBytes = 12851227 magicHex = [redacted]

Medium

Oversized Cli Entrypoint

Package contains an oversized executable-looking CLI entrypoint.

dist/cli.jsView on unpkg

scripts/bench-response-tokens.ts#virtual:normalized:round1View file

•stage = ast_semantic_analysis; reason = ast_parse_error; limitedFiles = 7

High

Semantic Analysis Limited

A bounded semantic-analysis stage reached its safety limit; remaining detectors completed, but this package requires AI review.

scripts/bench-response-tokens.ts#virtual:normalized:round1View on unpkg

scripts/capture-screenshots.mjsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = trace-mcp@3.8.0 matchedPath = scripts/capture-screenshots.mjs matchedIdentity = npm:dHJhY2UtbWNw:3.8.0 similarity = 1.000 summary = normalized source hash matched finalized malicious source

High

Known Malware Source Similarity

Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review.

scripts/capture-screenshots.mjsView on unpkg

scripts/count-advertised-tools.mjsView file

•matchType = normalized_sha256 matchedPackage = trace-mcp@3.8.0 matchedPath = scripts/count-advertised-tools.mjs matchedIdentity = npm:dHJhY2UtbWNw:3.8.0 similarity = 1.000 summary = normalized source hash matched finalized malicious source

High

Known Malware Source Similarity

Source file is highly similar to a previously finalized malicious package; route for source-aware review.

scripts/count-advertised-tools.mjsView on unpkg

scripts/gen-sitemap.mjsView file

•matchType = previous_version_dangerous_delta matchedPackage = trace-mcp@3.25.0 matchedIdentity = npm:dHJhY2UtbWNw:3.25.0 similarity = 0.847 summary = stored previous version shares package body but lacks this dangerous source file

Critical

Previous Version Dangerous Delta

This package version adds a dangerous source file absent from the previous stored version; route for source-aware review.

scripts/gen-sitemap.mjsView on unpkg

Source & flagged code

17 flagged · loading source

package.jsonView file

•scripts.postinstall = node scripts/preflight-native.mjs && node scripts/postinstall-app.mjs && node scripts/postinstall-control-plane.mjs

High

Install Time Lifecycle Scripts

Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.

package.jsonView on unpkg

•scripts.postinstall = node scripts/preflight-native.mjs && node scripts/postinstall-app.mjs && node scripts/postinstall-control-plane.mjs

Medium

Ambiguous Install Lifecycle Script

Install-time lifecycle script is not statically allowlisted and needs review.

package.jsonView on unpkg

dist/proxy.jsView file

27320// src/daemon/lifecycle.ts L27321: import { execSync, execFileSync, spawn } from "child_process"; L27322: import fs11 from "fs";

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

dist/proxy.jsView on unpkg · L27320

Findings

1 Critical10 High9 Medium5 Low

CriticalPrevious Version Dangerous Deltascripts/gen-sitemap.mjs

HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json

HighChild Processdist/proxy.js

HighShelldist/proxy.js

HighSame File Env Network Executionscripts/capture-screenshots.mjs#virtual:normalized:round1

HighCommand Output Exfiltrationscripts/capture-screenshots.mjs#virtual:normalized:round1

HighSandbox Evasion Gated Capabilityscripts/verify-upgrade-path.mjs

HighRuntime Package Installscripts/record-wire-fixtures.ts

HighSemantic Analysis Limitedscripts/bench-response-tokens.ts#virtual:normalized:round1

HighKnown Malware Source Similarityscripts/capture-screenshots.mjs

Affected versions and remediation

This report applies to trace-mcp@3.25.1.

The versions list below shows the verdict for each recorded version.

Avoid installing trace-mcp@3.25.1. 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: 2026-09-15 01:26:57.430Z (UTC).

Think this verdict is wrong? Dispute it on GitHub or read how reports are produced.

Versions

82 known versions

3.38.0latestSuspiciousPersistenceWarnPublishedOct 19, 2026, 10:23 PM 3.37.10Clean—AllowPublishedOct 18, 2026, 9:18 PM 3.37.9Clean—AllowPublishedOct 18, 2026, 2:36 AM 3.37.8Clean—AllowPublishedOct 17, 2026, 9:18 PM

AI Security Review

Decision evidence

Source & flagged code

Source & flagged code

Findings

Affected versions and remediation

Versions

Related packages

Other install hook abuse packages

Behavioral surface

Related packages

Other install hook abuse packages

Source & flagged code