Summary
nono-cli'scregistry pack verification can fail open when provenance metadata is absent
Registry-installed nono packs are expected to be verified from local provenance metadata before they are used. Two files are relevant:
~/.config/nono/packages/lockfile.json~/.config/nono/packages/<namespace>/<pack>/.nono-trust.bundle
Testing shows that nono fails closed when a pack has a trust bundle but no lockfile entry. However, if the trust bundle is also absent, the same pack can load successfully. Deleting security metadata should not make a pack easier to run.
Affected behavior
Observed with always-further/claude:
Delete
~/.config/nono/packages/lockfile.json.Result:
nono: Package verification failed for always-further/claude: pack 'always-further/claude' has a trust bundle but no lockfile entry - reinstall with: nono pull always-further/claude --forceDelete
~/.config/nono/packages/always-further/claude/.nono-trust.bundle.Result: the profile loads successfully.
Restore
.nono-trust.bundlewhile the lockfile is still absent.Result:
nono: Package verification failed for always-further/claude: pack 'always-further/claude' has a trust bundle but no lockfile entry - reinstall with: nono pull always-further/claude --force
Root cause
verify_profile_packs treats the lockfile entry as optional. Existing code fails when a trust bundle exists without a matching lockfile entry, but when the trust bundle is absent too, there is no equivalent hard failure.
That creates a fail-open state:
- lockfile entry missing
- trust bundle missing
- pack directory still present
- profile can load
Impact
If both the lockfile entry and trust bundle are absent, nono may accept an installed registry pack without artifact hash verification or provenance verification.
This is especially important for pack-provided session hooks, because session hooks execute on the host outside the sandbox. A pack that contributes host-executed code should not run unless nono can verify that the code is a locked and trusted pack artifact.
GHSA-HC4M-Q9JH-XW4J has a CVSS score of 6.6 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (0.61.3); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
For any registry pack selected for execution, require both:
- A matching lockfile entry in
~/.config/nono/packages/lockfile.json. - A present and valid
.nono-trust.bundlein the installed pack directory.
If either is missing, fail closed with a reinstall instruction, for example:
reinstall with: nono pull <namespace>/<pack> --force
This keeps verification monotonic: removing provenance metadata cannot downgrade a verification failure into a successful launch.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-HC4M-Q9JH-XW4J? GHSA-HC4M-Q9JH-XW4J is a medium-severity security vulnerability in nono-cli (rust), affecting versions <= 0.61.2. It is fixed in 0.61.3.
- How severe is GHSA-HC4M-Q9JH-XW4J? GHSA-HC4M-Q9JH-XW4J has a CVSS score of 6.6 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of nono-cli are affected by GHSA-HC4M-Q9JH-XW4J? nono-cli (rust) versions <= 0.61.2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-HC4M-Q9JH-XW4J? Yes. GHSA-HC4M-Q9JH-XW4J is fixed in 0.61.3. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-HC4M-Q9JH-XW4J exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-HC4M-Q9JH-XW4J is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether GHSA-HC4M-Q9JH-XW4J is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix GHSA-HC4M-Q9JH-XW4J? Upgrade
nono-clito 0.61.3 or later.