How Arnica's Low-Reputation Package Detection Could Have Prevented the XML-RPC npm Package Breach

The usage of third-party packages in software development has significantly increased over the past decade, raising concerns about potential security risks. Software Composition Analysis (SCA) tools have evolved to identify and mitigate vulnerable packages; however, there are low-reputation packages that can become susceptible to exploitation. An example is the @0xengine/xmlrpc package, which was initially harmless but later used maliciously in November 2024. Arnica's code security solution goes beyond SCA by evaluating various characteristics of third-party packages to assess their quality or reputation. This approach helps developers receive real-time alerts for low-reputation packages, enabling them to improve the security and quality of their code. Arnica's proactive detection of low-package reputation identified the @0xengine/xmlrpc package as being low-reputation based on several key characteristics. Arnica offers real-time detection, existing code detection, developer-native workflows, and ticket management & automation to help developers maintain high-quality packages in their code while minimizing operational risks associated with tech debt.