Hardcoded .npmrc AuthToken

What is the "Hardcoded .npmrc AuthToken?" module?

The "Hardcoded .npmrc AuthToken" module is designed to detect misconfigurations in the npm package manager. It specifically targets the presence of hardcoded authentication tokens in the .npmrc file. This module has an informative severity level and was authored by geeknik.

Impact

If an authentication token is hardcoded in the .npmrc file, it can potentially expose sensitive credentials to unauthorized individuals. This can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, and other security risks.

How does the module work?

The module works by sending an HTTP GET request to the /.npmrc path. It then applies a series of matching conditions to determine if a hardcoded authentication token is present. The matching conditions include:

- Checking if the .npmrc file contains either "_authToken=" or "_auth=" keywords - Verifying that the response headers do not contain "text/html", "application/javascript", or "application/json" - Ensuring that the HTTP response status is 200

If all the matching conditions are met, the module will report a vulnerability.

Example HTTP request:

GET /.npmrc

The module's purpose is to identify instances where authentication tokens are hardcoded in the .npmrc file, helping users identify and rectify potential security risks.