registry / AI-agent capability abuse / tracist / 0.0.39

tracist@0.0.39

Upload and continuously stream local AI coding transcripts to Tracist

AI Security Review

scanned 2mo ago · by lpm-firewall-ai

No lifecycle hook or stealth install-time behavior exists, so a publish block is not warranted. The documented transcript uploader nevertheless installs a persistent daemon whose default behavior accepts remote queued prompts with privileged agent settings.

Static reason

High-risk behavior combination matched malicious policy.

Trigger

User runs `tracist install` and authenticates; the installed daemon runs thereafter.

Impact

A Tracist server/operator compromise or malicious queued prompt can cause autonomous local agent actions in recorded workspaces.

Mechanism

Remote queued prompts invoke local AI coding agents with approval bypass.

AI rationale

Evidence

package.jsonbin/tracist.jsscripts/capture-resume-multiturn.jsscripts/transcript-agent-anchor.jsREADME.md

Network endpoints2

tracist.devwss://tracist.dev/api/transcripts/machines/{machineId}/socket

Decision evidence

public snapshot

AI called this Suspicious at 96.0% confidence as Dangerous Capability with low false-positive risk.

Evidence for warning

scripts/capture-resume-multiturn.js opens an authenticated machine WebSocket and accepts queue_session control.
Queued prompts are passed to local agent CLIs with approval/sandbox bypass flags.
bin/tracist.js install explicitly creates a persistent user daemon that runs the queue-enabled streamer.
The default streamer enables control; --upload-only is the opt-out mode.

Evidence against

package.json has no preinstall/install/postinstall hooks.
Persistence requires the explicit tracist install command.
README.md accurately describes transcript upload and the user-service daemon.
Outbound transcript events are routed through tools/secret-redaction.js.

Behavioral surface

Source

ChildProcessCryptoDynamicRequireEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetworkWebSocket

Supply chain

HighEntropyStringsUrlStrings

Source & flagged code

7 flagged

bin/tracist.jsView file

Lines 1-29javascript

1#!/usr/bin/env node

3'use strict';

5const fs = require('node:fs');

6const crypto = require('node:crypto');

Medium

Dynamic Require

Package source references dynamic require/import behavior.

bin/tracist.jsView on unpkg · L4

7const os = require('node:os');

8const path = require('node:path');

9const readline = require('node:readline/promises');

10const { spawn, spawnSync } = require('node:child_process');

11const WebSocket = require('ws');

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

bin/tracist.jsView on unpkg · L9

12const {

13 connectDaemonControl,

14 startDaemonControlServer,

15} = require('../lib/daemon-control.js');

16const {

17 ClientUpgradeRequiredError,

18 assertSupportedClientVersion,

19 compareClientVersions,

20} = require('../lib/client-version.js');

22const packageRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '..');

23const pkg = require(path.join(packageRoot, 'package.json'));

24const uploader = require(path.join(packageRoot, 'scripts', 'capture-resume-multiturn.js'));

High

Sandbox Evasion Gated Capability

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

bin/tracist.jsView on unpkg · L9

High

Trigger Reachable Persistence

A manifest entrypoint or package-local install chain reaches persistence behavior.

bin/tracist.jsView on unpkg · L9

Medium

Install Persistence

Source writes installer persistence such as shell profile or service configuration.

bin/tracist.jsView on unpkg · L9

25const defaultOrigin = 'https://tracist.dev';

26const daemonNodeArguments = ['--max-old-space-size=256', '--max-semi-space-size=8'];

27const daemonUpgradeRetryMs = 5 * 60 * 1000;

28const daemonRuntimeFiles = [

29 'package.json',

scripts/capture-resume-multiturn.jsView file

Lines 1-27javascript

1#!/usr/bin/env node

3const fs = require('node:fs');

4const os = require('node:os');

5const

Source & flagged code

7 flagged · loading source

bin/tracist.jsView file

9const readline = require('node:readline/promises'); L10: const { spawn, spawnSync } = require('node:child_process'); L11: const WebSocket = require('ws');

High

Child Process

Package source references child process execution.

bin/tracist.jsView on unpkg · L9

9const readline = require('node:readline/promises'); L10: const { spawn, spawnSync } = require('node:child_process'); L11: const WebSocket = require('ws'); L12: const { ... L21: L22: const packageRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '..'); L23: const pkg = require(path.join(packageRoot, 'package.json')); L24: const uploader = require(path.join(packageRoot, 'scripts', 'capture-resume-multiturn.js')); ... L44: const home = os.homedir(); L45: const configBase = process.env.TRACIST_CONFIG_DIR || ( L46: process.platform === 'win32' L47: ? process.env.APPDATA || path.join(home, 'AppData', 'Roaming')

High

Sandbox Evasion Gated Capability

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

bin/tracist.jsView on unpkg · L9

9Trigger-reachable persistence chain: manifest.bin -> bin/tracist.js L9: const readline = require('node:readline/promises'); L10: const { spawn, spawnSync } = require('node:child_process'); L11: const WebSocket = require('ws'); L12: const { ... L21: L22: const packageRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '..'); L23: const pkg = require(path.join(packageRoot, 'package.json')); L24: const uploader = require(path.join(packageRoot, 'scripts', 'capture-resume-multiturn.js')); ... L44: const home = os.homedir(); L45: const configBase = process.env.TRACIST_CONFIG_DIR || ( L46: process.platform === 'win32' L47: ? process.env.APPDATA || path.join(home, 'AppData', 'Roaming')

Findings

1 Critical4 High5 Medium5 Low

CriticalCommand Output Exfiltrationscripts/capture-resume-multiturn.js

HighChild Processbin/tracist.js

HighSame File Env Network Executionscripts/capture-resume-multiturn.js

HighSandbox Evasion Gated Capabilitybin/tracist.js

HighTrigger Reachable Persistencebin/tracist.js

MediumDynamic Requirebin/tracist.js

MediumNetwork

MediumEnvironment Vars

MediumInstall Persistencebin/tracist.js

MediumStructural Risk Force Deep Review

LowScripts Present

LowFilesystem

LowHigh Entropy Strings

LowUrl Strings

Affected versions and remediation

This report applies to tracist@0.0.39.

See all versions of tracist for other recorded verdicts.

Review the evidence and your use of tracist@0.0.39 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: 2026-08-09 20:27:22.993Z (UTC).

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