Socket

Socket is a next-generation SCA tool that detects security issues inside your dependencies by analyzing package behavior rather than just looking up CVE databases.

It focuses on supply chain attacks before they become CVEs.

What is Socket?

Socket takes a fundamentally different approach to dependency security.

Instead of waiting for vulnerabilities to be discovered and assigned CVEs, Socket proactively analyzes what packages actually do - detecting malicious behavior, typosquatting, and supply chain attacks in real-time.

This approach catches threats that traditional SCA tools miss entirely.

Key Differentiator: Behavior Analysis

Traditional SCA waits for CVEs:

Traditional SCA:
Package → Check CVE Database → Known Vulnerability? → Alert

Socket Approach:
Package → Analyze Behavior → Suspicious Activity? → Alert
    ↓
  - Network access?
  - File system access?
  - Environment variable reading?
  - Obfuscated code?
  - Install scripts?

Key Features

Supply Chain Attack Detection

Socket detects malicious packages:

• Malware - Packages with malicious code
• Typosquatting - Lookalike package names
• Account Hijacking - Compromised maintainer accounts
• Dependency Confusion - Internal package name attacks

Behavioral Analysis

Socket analyzes what packages do:

• Network connections
• File system operations
• Shell command execution
• Environment variable access
• Cryptocurrency mining
• Data exfiltration patterns

Risk Scoring

Comprehensive risk assessment:

socket-cli report express
├── Quality Score: 92/100
├── Security Risk: Low
├── Maintenance: Active
├── Alerts:
│   ├── ⚠️ Uses network access
│   ├── ✓ No install scripts
│   └── ✓ No obfuscated code
└── Dependencies: 57 (all safe)

How It Works

Socket integrates into your development workflow:

Pull Request → Socket Scan → Risk Report → Approve/Block
                    ↓
         Analyze new/updated dependencies
         Check for behavioral risks
         Compare against known threats

Installation

GitHub App

Install the Socket GitHub App for automatic PR scanning.

CLI

# Install via npm
npm install -g @socketsecurity/cli

# Scan a project
socket scan

# Generate report
socket report

GitHub Integration

Socket provides GitHub PR comments:

## Socket Security Report

### New Dependencies
- `[email protected]` ✅ Safe
- `[email protected]` ✅ Safe
- `[email protected]` ⚠️ BLOCKED
  - Contains install script with network access
  - Obfuscated code detected
  - Zero-day package (< 7 days old)

Alert Categories

Supported Ecosystems

Socket supports:

• npm (JavaScript/Node.js)
• PyPI (Python)
• Go modules
• Maven (Java)
• Ruby Gems
• Rust (Cargo)

When to Use Socket

Socket is essential for:

• Teams concerned about supply chain attacks
• Organizations with npm/PyPI dependencies
• Security-conscious open source projects
• Companies that can’t wait for CVE disclosure