# Loom Dependency Scan

> Scan project dependencies for CVEs, outdated packages, and license compliance across npm, pip, cargo, go, maven, and other ecosystems.

- Skill: `cosmix/loom-dependency-scan` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cosmix/loom-dependency-scan`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cosmix/loom-dependency-scan/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: cosmix (https://skillmd.com/u/cosmix)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/cosmix/loom-dependency-scan

---


# Dependency Scan

CVEs, outdated packages, license compliance, and supply-chain risk across ecosystems. Deep-dependency companion to `loom-security-scan` (fast pre-commit/CI scanning) and `loom-security-audit` (methodology/compliance).

## Workflow

1. **Enumerate** — parse manifests + lockfiles; separate direct vs transitive. No lockfile → builds aren't reproducible (fix first).
2. **Scan** — CVEs against advisory DBs (below); note severity, affected/fixed versions, and the dependency *path*.
3. **Assess reachability** — a CVE in an unimported/dev-only path is lower priority than one on a hot code path. `govulncheck` and Snyk reason about reachability; `npm audit` does not.
4. **Remediate** — minimal safe bump to the fixed version; prefer patch/minor; verify tests. Pin the result in the lockfile.

## Scanning Commands

```bash
# JS      npm audit --audit-level=high   |  osv-scanner -r .
# Python  pip-audit                       |  safety check
# Rust    cargo audit                     |  cargo deny check advisories
# Go      govulncheck ./...               |  go list -m all | nancy sleuth
# Ruby    bundle audit --update
# Java    mvn org.owasp:dependency-check-maven:check
# .NET    dotnet list package --vulnerable --include-transitive
# PHP     composer audit
# Any     osv-scanner -r .   (lockfile-driven, OSV DB, all major ecosystems in one)
```

⚠ `--vulnerable`/audit tools only see what the **lockfile** pins — an unpinned range (`^1.2.0`) may resolve differently in CI. Scan the committed lockfile, and regenerate it before scanning if manifests changed.

## Supply-Chain Attacks (the high-signal risks)

Registry malware now outpaces classic CVEs. Defenses are structural, not just "run audit":

- **Dependency confusion** — you have an internal package `@acme/utils`; an attacker publishes `@acme/utils` to the *public* registry with a higher version. A misconfigured resolver prefers the public one and runs attacker code at install. Defend: scope internal packages to your private registry, configure the client to **never** fall back to public for those scopes (npm `.npmrc` `@acme:registry=…`, pip `--index-url` not `--extra-index-url`), and claim/reserve your names on the public registry.
- **Typosquatting** — `reqeusts`, `lodahs`, `python-dateutil` vs `dateutil`. Review every *new* dependency name character-by-character; watch install-time scripts. Prefer well-known packages with history and many maintainers.
- **Namespace / maintainer hijack** — a legit package gets a malicious release after an account takeover or a maintainer handoff. Defend: pin exact versions + lockfile hash integrity; delay auto-adopting brand-new releases (Renovate `stabilityDays`); watch for sudden maintainer changes.
- **Malicious install scripts** — npm `postinstall`, pip `setup.py` run arbitrary code at install. Use `npm ci --ignore-scripts` where feasible; audit scripts of new deps.
- **Integrity** — commit lockfiles with hashes (`package-lock.json`, `Cargo.lock`, `poetry.lock`, `pip-compile --generate-hashes`). Hashes turn a hijacked re-publish of an existing version into a hard install failure.

## SBOM

Machine-readable inventory of every component — the prerequisite for "are we affected by CVE-X?" incident response and license tracking.

```bash
syft . -o spdx-json > sbom.spdx.json                 # universal (files + many ecosystems)
syft . -o cyclonedx-json > sbom.cdx.json             # CycloneDX flavor
trivy image --format spdx-json myimage:tag           # container image contents
cargo cyclonedx  |  cyclonedx-npm  |  cyclonedx-py   # ecosystem-native generators
```

Generate in CI per release and store it; then `grype sbom:./sbom.cdx.json` re-checks an existing SBOM against today's advisory DB without rebuilding.

## License Compliance

```bash
npx license-checker --onlyAllow 'MIT;Apache-2.0;BSD-2-Clause;BSD-3-Clause;ISC'
cargo deny check licenses      #  pip-licenses  |  scancode-toolkit (deep)
```

| Category | Examples | Risk |
| -------- | -------- | ---- |
| Permissive | MIT, Apache-2.0, BSD, ISC | Safe; Apache-2.0 adds patent grant |
| Weak copyleft | MPL-2.0, LGPL | OK if dynamically linked / file-level; check linking |
| Strong copyleft | GPL, **AGPL** | May force source disclosure — AGPL triggers on network use (SaaS) |
| Unknown / missing | — | Block until resolved; unlicensed = all-rights-reserved |

## Automated Updates (Renovate)

```json
{
  "extends": ["config:recommended", ":semanticCommits"],
  "vulnerabilityAlerts": { "labels": ["security"], "enabled": true },
  "packageRules": [
    { "matchUpdateTypes": ["major"], "automerge": false },
    { "matchUpdateTypes": ["minor", "patch"], "matchCurrentVersion": "!/^0/", "automerge": true },
    { "matchDepTypes": ["devDependencies"], "automerge": true, "groupName": "dev deps" }
  ],
  "minimumReleaseAge": "3 days",
  "prConcurrentLimit": 5
}
```

⚠ `minimumReleaseAge`/`stabilityDays` deliberately delays adopting fresh releases — the window in which hijacked/malicious versions are typically caught and yanked. Never auto-merge majors; `^0.x` is pre-1.0 where minors can break.

## Verification Checklist

- [ ] Lockfile present, committed, with integrity hashes; scan targets the lockfile (not just manifest ranges)
- [ ] Every ecosystem in the repo scanned; transitive deps included
- [ ] Findings ranked by **reachability + severity**, not raw CVSS; each has a fixed-version upgrade path
- [ ] Internal packages scoped to a private registry with **no public fallback** (dependency-confusion closed)
- [ ] New dependencies eyeballed for typosquats and reviewed for install scripts
- [ ] SBOM generated for the release and stored
- [ ] Licenses checked against an allowlist; no AGPL/GPL surprises for a proprietary/SaaS product
- [ ] Auto-update bot enabled with a release-age delay and no major auto-merge

For pre-commit/CI wiring see `loom-security-scan`; for exploit-context risk rating and compliance framing see `loom-security-audit`.