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name: dependency-audit description: "Use when reviewing a project's security posture, setting up CI pipelines, or responding to a reported vulnerability in a dependency." metadata: category: security priority: high difficulty: beginner estimatedTime: "15" source: frontendchecklist.io url: https://frontendchecklist.io/rules/security/dependency-audit

Audit dependencies for known vulnerabilities

Third-party packages are the most common attack surface in modern web applications. The 2021 Log4Shell incident, the 2022 node-ipc supply-chain attack, and countless npm package hijackings demonstrate that a single vulnerable transitive dependency can compromise every application that depends on it. Automated, continuous scanning drastically reduces the window between a CVE being published and your team being aware of it.

Quick Reference

• Run pnpm audit (or npm audit) before every production deployment
• Integrate automated dependency scanning in CI (GitHub Dependabot or Snyk)
• Treat critical and high severity findings as release blockers
• Pin transitive dependencies with a lock file committed to version control

Check

Check the project's dependencies for known security vulnerabilities using the package manager audit command.

Fix

Upgrade, patch, or replace vulnerable dependencies and configure automated scanning in the CI pipeline.

Explain

Explain how supply-chain attacks work and why dependency auditing is a critical part of modern application security.

Code Review

Review the lock file and package.json for unpinned version ranges, abandoned packages, and any packages flagged in recent CVE databases.

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For full implementation details, code examples, and framework-specific guidance, see references/rule.md.

Rule page: https://frontendchecklist.io/rules/security/dependency-audit