This library is designed to be sourced directly from GitHub via curl. While convenient, this approach has important security implications:

1. Man-in-the-Middle Attacks: Scripts are fetched over HTTPS, but compromised DNS or network infrastructure could redirect requests
2. Repository Compromise: If the GitHub repository is compromised, malicious code could be distributed
3. Supply Chain: Dependencies and external scripts could introduce vulnerabilities
4. Unreviewed Updates: Using master branch means getting latest changes without review

1. Pin to Specific Versions (Recommended)

# Instead of master branch
source /dev/stdin <<<"$(curl -s "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dotbrains/utilities/master/utilities.sh")"

# Use tagged releases
source /dev/stdin <<<"$(curl -s "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dotbrains/utilities/v1.0.0/utilities.sh")"

2. Review Code Before Use

# Download and review first
curl -o utilities.sh "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dotbrains/utilities/v1.0.0/utilities.sh"
less utilities.sh  # Review the code

# Then use it
source utilities.sh

3. Local Caching

For production or airgapped environments:

# Cache locally
mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/lib/utilities"
cd "$HOME/.local/lib/utilities"
git clone https://github.com/dotbrains/utilities.git
cd utilities
git checkout v1.0.0  # Pin to specific version

# Source locally
source "$HOME/.local/lib/utilities/utilities.sh"

4. Verify Checksums (Future)

Future releases may include checksums for verification:

# Download
curl -o utilities.sh "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dotbrains/utilities/v1.0.0/utilities.sh"
curl -o utilities.sh.sha256 "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dotbrains/utilities/v1.0.0/utilities.sh.sha256"

# Verify
sha256sum -c utilities.sh.sha256

# Source if valid
source utilities.sh

1. Pin Versions: Always use tagged releases in production
2. Review Changes: Review CHANGELOG.md before upgrading
3. Test First: Test in non-production environments before deploying
4. Limit Scope: Use UTILITIES_MODULES to load only needed modules
5. Monitor Usage: Audit which scripts use these utilities
6. Local Cache: Consider local caching for critical systems

1. No Secrets: Never commit secrets, API keys, or credentials
2. Input Validation: Validate all user inputs
3. Safe Defaults: Use safe defaults that require explicit opt-in for risky operations
4. Error Handling: Fail safely and provide clear error messages
5. Privilege Escalation: Only request sudo when absolutely necessary
6. Code Review: All changes should be reviewed before merging

Functions that require sudo privileges:

• ask_for_sudo() - Request admin access
• symlink() - May require sudo for system paths
• gem_install() - Installs gems with sudo
• Various package manager operations

Best Practice: Only use sudo-requiring functions when necessary, and review what they do.

Functions that make network requests:

• All module loading (via curl from GitHub)
• brew_bundle_install() - Downloads packages
• Package installation functions

Best Practice: Use in trusted network environments or with cached versions.

Functions that modify files/directories:

• symlink() - Creates symbolic links
• mkd() - Creates directories
• extract() - Extracts archives
• Configuration file modifications

Best Practice: Review target paths before execution.

• Open public issues for security vulnerabilities
• Disclose vulnerabilities publicly before they are fixed

1. Email security concerns to the repository maintainer
2. Include:
   • Description of the vulnerability
   • Steps to reproduce
   • Potential impact
   • Suggested fixes (if any)
3. Allow reasonable time for a fix before public disclosure

Security updates will be:

• Released as patch versions (e.g., v1.0.1)
• Documented in CHANGELOG.md with [SECURITY] prefix
• Announced in GitHub Releases
• Applied to supported versions

Future releases may include:

• GPG signatures for release tags
• Signed commits
• Checksums for verification

The git history provides a complete audit trail of all changes:

# View commit history
git log --oneline

# View specific file history
git log --follow scripts/modules/system/system.sh

# View changes in a commit
git show <commit-hash>

If using in regulated environments (financial, healthcare, etc.):

1. Fork and Review: Fork the repository and perform security review
2. Internal Hosting: Host on internal infrastructure
3. Version Control: Strictly control versions used
4. Access Logging: Log all usage of utilities
5. Compliance Review: Have compliance team review before use

For security questions or concerns, please contact the repository maintainer through GitHub.

Remember: Security is a shared responsibility. Always review code you execute, especially code with elevated privileges or network access.