xchange-cli@0.12.17
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AI Security Review
scanned 4d ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe app automatically sends an XCode account token to its ad host, reusing a credential that the source says is also used by the included AI. This is credential disclosure across services and warrants blocking.
Static reason
High-risk behavior combination matched malicious policy.; source matched previously finalized malicious package; routed for review
Trigger
The app starts its ad client; it immediately ticks and repeats on a timer.
Impact
The ad host receives a credential associated with the user's XCode account, beyond a token issued specifically for the ad service.
Mechanism
The ad client uses the account token as a Bearer credential in requests to the ad host. The source describes this as reusing the same Firebase credential used by the included AI for the ad service.
Attack narrative
On desktop app startup, the ad client automatically requests sponsored cards using a Bearer token supplied from the XCode account. The request goes to adcode.bluethenics.com, and the source describes the token as the same Firebase credential used by the included AI. This exposes an account credential to the ad service without an explicit user action.
AI rationale
The app automatically sends an XCode account token to its ad host, reusing a credential that the source says is also used by the included AI. This is credential disclosure across services and warrants blocking.
Evidence
dist/app/dist/main.jsdist/app/dist/ads.js
Network endpoints2
adcode.bluethenics.com/v1/configadcode.bluethenics.com/v1/serve
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Malicious at 88.0% confidence as Malware with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for block
- The ad client sends a Bearer token to https://adcode.bluethenics.com/v1/serve.
- The app supplies its XCode account token as the ad client token, falling back to that same account token when no house token is available.
- Ads start automatically and use the standard preset unless XCHANGE_ADS_PRESET changes it.
Evidence against
- The token is used to request sponsored cards, which is the stated purpose of the ad client.
- The update download-and-run path is reached through the explicit xchange update command.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessCryptoDynamicRequireEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetworkShellWebSocket
HighEntropyStringsUrlStrings
CopyleftLicense
Source & flagged code
20 flaggeddist/app/dist/claude-desktop.jsView file
6exports.claudeStartedAt = claudeStartedAt;
L7: const node_child_process_1 = require("node:child_process");
L8: const MAC_BUNDLE_ID = "com.anthropic.claudefordesktop";
High
Child Process
Package source references child process execution.
dist/app/dist/claude-desktop.jsView on unpkg · L6dist/cli/src/schtasks.js#virtual:normalized:round1View file
18import path from "node:path";
L19: import { windowsPowerShellEnv } from "./windows-powershell.js";
L20: import { runtime } from "./runtime.js";
High
Shell
Package source references shell execution.
dist/cli/src/schtasks.js#virtual:normalized:round1View on unpkg · L18•stage = ast_semantic_analysis; reason = ast_parse_error; limitedFiles = 3
Findings
1 Critical16 High5 Medium6 Low
CriticalDownload Executedist/cli/src/update.js
HighChild Processdist/app/dist/claude-desktop.js
HighShelldist/cli/src/schtasks.js#virtual:normalized:round1
HighSandbox Evasion Gated Capabilitydist/cli/src/update.js
HighSemantic Analysis Limiteddist/cli/src/schtasks.js#virtual:normalized:round1
HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/cli/src/supervisor.js
HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/remote/src/bridge-client.js
HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/remote/src/desktop.js
HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/router/src/remote-host.js
HighKnown Malware Source Similaritydist/cli/src/claude-auth.js
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to xchange-cli@0.12.17.
See all versions of xchange-cli for other recorded verdicts.
- Avoid installing xchange-cli@0.12.17. 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.