Solana: Yarn/Npm Package Vulnerabilities When Initializing a New Anchor Project

Relatively new to Anchor/Solana.

I have successfully set up an Anchor/Solana development environment, newly created projects (with anchor initiator NAME) are building and running without any issues.

However, one thing that caught my attention was that I have noticed some potential vulnerabilities when initializing a new Anchor project. As a Solana developer, it is important to be aware of these potential issues to ensure the security and reliability of your Anchor setup.

Here are some Yarn/Npm package vulnerabilities that I have encountered when setting up a new Anchor project:

• Overly permissive Yarn link policy

  

  : By default, Yarn allows linking a single repository between projects using Yarn link. This can cause problems if you share dependencies between multiple projects.

• Lack of Security Audits: As the Solana ecosystem continues to grow, so does the number of vulnerabilities discovered in the open source libraries and packages used by Anchor. Regular security audits and vulnerability scanning can help identify potential issues before they become problems.

• Insufficient Yarn Lock Management: The Yarn lock file is critical to ensuring that dependencies are up-to-date and consistent across projects. Without proper management, your projects can end up with duplicate or outdated dependencies.

To prevent these vulnerabilities when initializing a new Anchor project, I recommend the following best practices.

1. Update Yarn to the latest version

Make sure you are using the latest version of Yarn by updating it using the ‘yarn outdated’ option, and then upgrading it to the latest version using ‘yarn install’.

yarn-deprecated --format=full | yarn-upgrade -g

2. Use the yarn link configuration file

Create a new file (e.g. .yarn-link-config.yaml) in the root of your project with the following content:

package: anchor-sdk
url: 

This allows you to specify an external repository for shared dependencies across projects.

3. Set npm' as a fallback

If you are concerned about Yarn's permissiveness policy, consider settingnpm’ as a fallback for specific packages or libraries that require it. This ensures that your project is still compatible with older versions of those dependencies.

Install Anchor SDK via npm (as a fallback)
npm install anchor-sdk@latest --save-dev

Update the 'yarn.lock' file to include npm instead
yarn configuration lock file yarn.lock

4. Perform regular security audits and vulnerability scans

Schedule regular security audits and vulnerability scans for your projects using tools like SonarQube, OWASP ZAP, or your preferred solution.

By following these best practices, you can significantly reduce the risk of Yarn/Npm package vulnerabilities when initializing a new Anchor project. Don’t forget to stay up to date with the latest changes in the Solana ecosystem to ensure the continued security and reliability of your Anchor setup.