MCP, MCP server
nole
Local, free-first/BYOK web search and page extraction router for AI agents and coding CLI tools.
Compatibility: Not stated.
Grade C
One Medium finding. Read the report before installing.
Not a guarantee. A hygiene check of the source at the commit shown, not a security audit.
NETWORK_HOST_FROM_INPUT
Why this grade
- NETWORK_HOST_FROM_INPUT Medium
A file takes a URL or endpoint as input and has no fixed host list.
install_script_test.go, line 164
t.Skip("installer needs curl/wget and sha256sum/shasum")
Any High, or two or more Medium findings, give D. One Medium gives C. Low findings or a security Note give B. Each code names a finding behind the letter.
Grades are a hygiene check of the source at the commit shown, on the date checked, not a security audit or a guarantee. The free directory grades are automated. Before release, a PlugVet engineer reviews every paid report and any grade we hold back, including all F grades, against the source code and the evidence we quote.
What was checked
Plain notes from the hygiene checks.
Permissions
Note
requests shell access. The manifest names this permission.
PERMISSION_SHELL_DECLARED
go_version_requirements_test.go, line 41
cmd := exec.Command("bash", filepath.Join(repoRoot, "scripts", "check-go-version-requirements.sh"), root)
install_ps1_script_test.go, line 53
cmd := exec.Command("pwsh", "-NoProfile", "-NonInteractive", "-File", "scripts/install.ps1")
install_script_test.go, line 72
cmd := exec.Command("bash", "scripts/install.sh")
Show more
main_test.go, line 13
build := exec.Command("go", "build", "-o", exe, ".")
main_test.go, line 18
cmd := exec.Command(exe, "definitely-not-a-command")
cmd/bench/main.py, line 11
import subprocess # Kept for tests that assert secret providers do not call subprocess.run.
internal/bench/claims_guard_test.go, line 51
cmd := exec.Command("bash", "scripts/check-benchmark-claims.sh")
internal/bench/claims_guard_test.go, line 64
cmd := exec.Command("bash", "scripts/check-benchmark-claims.sh")
Install and update
Note
The docs document an installer that pipes a download into a shell.
INSTALL_DOCUMENTED_INSTALLER
scripts/install.sh, line 16
# curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dorukardahan/nole/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
Network
Serious
accepts a host from input, with no fixed list in this file.
NETWORK_HOST_FROM_INPUT
install_script_test.go, line 164
t.Skip("installer needs curl/wget and sha256sum/shasum")
install_script_test.go, line 173
t.Skip("installer needs curl/wget and sha256sum/shasum")
install_script_test.go, line 216
t.Skip("installer needs curl/wget and sha256sum/shasum")
Show more
install_script_test.go, line 247
t.Skip("installer needs curl/wget and sha256sum/shasum")
cmd/bench/main.py, line 71
with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=timeout) as resp:
cmd/bench/main.py, line 197
with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=timeout) as resp:
internal/core/setup_hints.go, line 123
return "AI tool's built-in HTTP fetch (works, but no markdown conversion or paywall handling)"
internal/providers/scrapling/scrapling.go, line 285
page = fetch(url, follow_redirects=False)
scripts/install.sh, line 10
# curl -fsSLO https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dorukardahan/nole/main/scripts/install.sh
Secrets
Concern
reads a credential or environment file.
SECRETS_ENV_READ SECRETS_PATH_DOTENV
internal/cli/app.go, line 35
firecrawlKey := os.Getenv("FIRECRAWL_API_KEY")
internal/cli/app.go, line 37
braveKey := os.Getenv("BRAVE_API_KEY")
internal/cli/app.go, line 39
braveKey = os.Getenv("BRAVE_SEARCH_API_KEY")
Show more
internal/cli/app.go, line 41
tavilyKey := os.Getenv("TAVILY_API_KEY")
internal/cli/app.go, line 42
tinyfishKey := os.Getenv("TINYFISH_API_KEY")
internal/cli/bench_test.go, line 106
if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(envDir, ".env"), []byte("BRAVE_API_KEY=from-file\n"), 0600); err != nil {
internal/cli/config.go, line 229
// ~/.config/nole/.env file (loading is best-effort and process env wins).
internal/cli/config_dump_test.go, line 16
t.Setenv("NOLE_DISABLE_ENV_FILE", "1") // don't merge the developer's ~/.config/nole/.env
internal/cli/config_test.go, line 92
if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(envDir, ".env"), envFile, 0o600); err != nil {
internal/cli/config_test.go, line 103
if os.Getenv("BRAVE_API_KEY") != processProviderValue {
internal/cli/doctor.go, line 97
if os.Getenv("BRAVE_API_KEY") != "" || os.Getenv("BRAVE_SEARCH_API_KEY") != "" {
internal/cli/env_file_test.go, line 10
path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), ".env")
internal/cli/env_file_test.go, line 35
if got := os.Getenv("TAVILY_API_KEY"); got != "from-shell" {
internal/cli/serve.go, line 42
// Load ~/.config/nole/.env FIRST so a NOLE_SERVE_TOKEN set ONLY there (not
internal/cli/serve_log_env_test.go, line 12
// (~/.config/nole/.env), the serve handler's diagnostic logger must still honor
internal/cli/serve_log_env_test.go, line 29
if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(envDir, ".env"), []byte("NOLE_LOG=off\n"), 0o600); err != nil {
Agent instructions
Pass
No instruction to ignore earlier instructions or to hide a step.
Obfuscation
Pass
No encoded or minified payload found.
Licence
Pass
A licence file is present (LICENSE).
Maintainer activity
Pass
The latest commit is within the last 365 days.
Note
Hygiene check of commit a27405d1b7e2. requests shell access. The manifest names this permission. The docs document an installer that pipes a download into a shell. accepts a host from input, with no fixed list in this file. reads a credential or environment file.
Date and source
Date checked:
github.com
Commit graded: a27405d1b7e27a65f987ff4bd74eb16a8835f029
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