npm / playwright-core / 1.65.0-alpha-2026-10-19

playwright-core 1.65.0-alpha-2026-10-19

Source: https://github.com/microsoft/playwright
Commit scanned: b335271cdc2b (recorded by npm)
Directory: packages/playwright-core (only this part of the repository was scanned)
Compared with: b335271cdc2b (0 signals introduced since)
Files: 370 scanned, 49 skipped (binary, oversized, or unrecognised)
Signals: 0 critical · 1 warn · 25 info
Scan time: 19.4 s
LLM review: Reviewed by claude-haiku-5-5 (Anthropic): 17 of 17 warn and critical signals; 16 demoted to info.
Disclude version: 4.0.0
Scanned (UTC): 2026-10-20 05:41

Signals

Ordered by severity, then signals introduced in this release. Hidden characters are shown as ⟨U+…⟩.

warn dynamic-import packages/playwright-core/src/tools/backend/tab.ts:189:35

`require` called with a non-literal specifier (ast pass, confidence 0.60)
```
      try {
        const { default: func } = require(initPage);
        await func({ page: this.page });
      } catch (e) {
```
likely benign LLM, confidence 0.60 Loads an optional page init-script module by a configured path and calls its default export with the page.
Reasoning
The require specifier is `initPage`, which appears to be a user-supplied init-script path loaded and invoked with the page. That is a plausible configuration hook. It does execute arbitrary code, but only a path the user or config chose, and the snippet shows no obfuscation or remote source. The residual doubt is whether `initPage` can be influenced by untrusted input.
info ~~warn~~ → info by review obfuscated-command-name packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_chrome_beta_mac.sh:13:1

command name contains 4 backslash-escape sequences — hiding the true command (ast pass, confidence 0.85)
```
/Applications/Google\ Chrome\ Beta.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome\ Beta --version
```
dismissed LLM, confidence 0.90 Runs Google Chrome Beta's --version using an app path with escaped spaces.
Reasoning
The backslash escapes are ordinary shell quoting for spaces in the macOS app bundle path. The command is a plain version check on a known application, so the flag is a false positive.
info ~~warn~~ → info by review obfuscated-command-name packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_beta_mac.sh:11:1

command name contains 4 backslash-escape sequences — hiding the true command (ast pass, confidence 0.85)
```
rm -rf /tmp/msedge_beta.pkg
/Applications/Microsoft\ Edge\ Beta.app/Contents/MacOS/Microsoft\ Edge\ Beta --version
```
dismissed LLM, confidence 0.90 Runs Microsoft Edge Beta --version using an app path with escaped spaces.
Reasoning
Escaped spaces in the Edge Beta app path are normal shell quoting. The command is a version check after a temp package removal, with nothing hidden.
info ~~warn~~ → info by review obfuscated-command-name packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_dev_mac.sh:11:1

command name contains 4 backslash-escape sequences — hiding the true command (ast pass, confidence 0.85)
```
rm -rf /tmp/msedge_dev.pkg
/Applications/Microsoft\ Edge\ Dev.app/Contents/MacOS/Microsoft\ Edge\ Dev --version
```
dismissed LLM, confidence 0.90 Runs Microsoft Edge Dev --version using an app path with escaped spaces.
Reasoning
Same pattern as the Edge Beta script: escaped spaces in a literal app path followed by a version check. No obfuscation of the command's identity.
info ~~warn~~ → info by review dynamic-import packages/playwright-core/src/cli/installActions.ts:49:25

`require` called with a non-literal specifier (ast pass, confidence 0.60)
```
      continue;
    const packageJSON = require(path.join(browser.referenceDir, 'package.json'));
    const version = packageJSON.version;
    dirToVersion.set(browser.referenceDir, version);
```
likely benign LLM, confidence 0.85 Reads a browser reference directory's package.json to get its version.
Reasoning
The require targets package.json inside a browser reference directory built with path.join. This is a common way to read a local package version and carries no sign of hidden payload loading.

info long-line packages/playwright-core/src/client/channels.d.ts:18:1

line length 614 characters (raw pass, confidence 0.50)

import type { Binary, Channel, AndroidWebView, AndroidSelector, AndroidElementInfo, APIResponse, Metadata, ClientSideCallMetadata, SDKLanguage, WaitInfo, HttpCredentials, SetNetworkCookie, NetworkCookie, ResourceTiming, SecurityDetails, RequestSizes, RemoteAddr, ExpectedTextValue, SelectorEngine, FormField, LifecycleEv

info long-line packages/playwright-core/src/client/channels.d.ts:19:1

line length 614 characters (raw pass, confidence 0.50)

export type { Binary, Channel, AndroidWebView, AndroidSelector, AndroidElementInfo, APIResponse, Metadata, ClientSideCallMetadata, SDKLanguage, WaitInfo, HttpCredentials, SetNetworkCookie, NetworkCookie, ResourceTiming, SecurityDetails, RequestSizes, RemoteAddr, ExpectedTextValue, SelectorEngine, FormField, LifecycleEv

info ~~warn~~ → info by review dynamic-import packages/playwright-core/src/package.ts:22:28

`require` called with a non-literal specifier (ast pass, confidence 0.60)
```
export const packageRoot = path.join(__dirname, '..');
export const packageJSON = require(path.join(packageRoot, 'package.json'));
export const binPath = path.join(packageRoot, 'bin');
```
likely benign LLM, confidence 0.90 Loads the package's own package.json via a computed path.
Reasoning
The require loads package.json from the package root computed from __dirname. This is a standard self-metadata read.
info dynamic-execution packages/playwright-core/src/server/android/driver/gradlew:143:6

command name is a variable (`$cygwin`) that this file sets only to plain text (ast pass, confidence 0.40)
```
# Increase the maximum file descriptors if we can.
if ! "$cygwin" && ! "$darwin" && ! "$nonstop" ; then
    case $MAX_FD in #(
      max*)
```
info dynamic-execution packages/playwright-core/src/server/android/driver/gradlew:143:21

command name is a variable (`$darwin`) that this file sets only to plain text (ast pass, confidence 0.40)
```
# Increase the maximum file descriptors if we can.
if ! "$cygwin" && ! "$darwin" && ! "$nonstop" ; then
    case $MAX_FD in #(
      max*)
```
info dynamic-execution packages/playwright-core/src/server/android/driver/gradlew:143:36

command name is a variable (`$nonstop`) that this file sets only to plain text (ast pass, confidence 0.40)
```
# Increase the maximum file descriptors if we can.
if ! "$cygwin" && ! "$darwin" && ! "$nonstop" ; then
    case $MAX_FD in #(
      max*)
```

info dynamic-execution packages/playwright-core/src/server/android/driver/gradlew:166:4

command name is a variable (`$cygwin`) that this file sets only to plain text (ast pass, confidence 0.40)

# For Cygwin or MSYS, switch paths to Windows format before running java
if "$cygwin" || "$msys" ; then
    APP_HOME=$( cygpath --path --mixed "$APP_HOME" )
    CLASSPATH=$( cygpath --path --mixed "$CLASSPATH" )

info dynamic-execution packages/playwright-core/src/server/android/driver/gradlew:166:17

command name is a variable (`$msys`) that this file sets only to plain text (ast pass, confidence 0.40)

# For Cygwin or MSYS, switch paths to Windows format before running java
if "$cygwin" || "$msys" ; then
    APP_HOME=$( cygpath --path --mixed "$APP_HOME" )
    CLASSPATH=$( cygpath --path --mixed "$CLASSPATH" )

info ~~critical~~ → info by review dynamic-execution packages/playwright-core/src/server/android/driver/gradlew:233:1

`eval` called on a dynamic (variable/substitution) expression (ast pass, confidence 0.90)
```
eval "set -- $(
        printf '%s\n' "$DEFAULT_JVM_OPTS $JAVA_OPTS $GRADLE_OPTS" |
        xargs -n1 |
```
likely benign LLM, confidence 0.85 Gradle wrapper eval used to split DEFAULT_JVM_OPTS and related options into arguments.
Reasoning
This eval set -- with xargs splitting of JVM options is the standard idiom in the Gradle wrapper script. It is widely distributed boilerplate, not a dropper.
info ~~critical~~ → info by review dynamic-execution packages/playwright-core/src/server/android/driver/gradlew:240:1

`exec` called with a dynamic (variable/substitution) path (ast pass, confidence 0.85)
```
exec "$JAVACMD" "$@"
```
likely benign LLM, confidence 0.90 Gradle wrapper launches the resolved Java binary.
Reasoning
The exec of $JAVACMD is the final launch step of the standard Gradle wrapper. The path is resolved from the JAVA_HOME setup earlier in the script.

info long-line packages/playwright-core/src/server/channels.d.ts:21:1

line length 614 characters (raw pass, confidence 0.50)

import type { Binary, Channel, AndroidWebView, AndroidSelector, AndroidElementInfo, APIResponse, Metadata, ClientSideCallMetadata, SDKLanguage, WaitInfo, HttpCredentials, SetNetworkCookie, NetworkCookie, ResourceTiming, SecurityDetails, RequestSizes, RemoteAddr, ExpectedTextValue, SelectorEngine, FormField, LifecycleEv

info long-line packages/playwright-core/src/server/channels.d.ts:22:1

line length 614 characters (raw pass, confidence 0.50)

export type { Binary, Channel, AndroidWebView, AndroidSelector, AndroidElementInfo, APIResponse, Metadata, ClientSideCallMetadata, SDKLanguage, WaitInfo, HttpCredentials, SetNetworkCookie, NetworkCookie, ResourceTiming, SecurityDetails, RequestSizes, RemoteAddr, ExpectedTextValue, SelectorEngine, FormField, LifecycleEv

info ~~warn~~ → info by review dynamic-execution packages/playwright-core/src/server/dom.ts:714:43

`atob` decodes a base64 value at runtime — common step before dynamic fetch or eval (ast pass, confidence 0.75)
```
          for (const p of payloads) {
            const bytes = Uint8Array.from(atob(p.buffer), c => c.charCodeAt(0));
            const file = new File([bytes], p.name, { type: p.mimeType, lastModified: p.lastModifiedMs });
            dt.items.add(file);
```
likely benign LLM, confidence 0.80 Decodes base64 file payloads to build File objects for simulated drag and drop.
Reasoning
Decoding base64 buffers into File objects for a DataTransfer drop simulation is a legitimate browser-automation technique. The decoded data is only attached to a File and not executed.
info ~~critical~~ → info by review dynamic-execution packages/playwright-core/src/server/javascript.ts:315:7

`Function(...)` called with a non-literal body (ast pass, confidence 0.90)
```
    try {
      new Function('(' + expression + ')');
    } catch (e1) {
      // This means we might have a function shorthand. Try another
```
likely benign LLM, confidence 0.80 Parse-checks an expression string with new Function during serialization.
Reasoning
new Function here is used as a syntax probe to test whether an expression parses, falling back to function-shorthand handling. It is a parser check in a serialization utility, not execution of attacker code.
info ~~critical~~ → info by review dynamic-execution packages/playwright-core/src/server/javascript.ts:324:9

`Function(...)` called with a non-literal body (ast pass, confidence 0.90)
```
      try {
        new Function('(' + expression  + ')');
      } catch (e2) {
        // We tried hard to serialize, but there's a weird beast here.
```
likely benign LLM, confidence 0.80 Second syntax-probe Function call in the serialization fallback path.
Reasoning
Same syntax-probe pattern as the earlier Function call, used as a fallback when serializing values. It is consistent with normal parser-based utility code.
info ~~warn~~ → info by review dynamic-import packages/playwright-core/src/server/registry/index.ts:1201:30

`require` called with a non-literal specifier (ast pass, confidence 0.60)
```
        linkTarget = (await fs.promises.readFile(linkPath)).toString();
        const browsersJSON = require(path.join(linkTarget, 'browsers.json'));
        const descriptors = readDescriptors(browsersJSON);
        for (const browserName of allDownloadableDirectoriesThatEverExisted) {
```
likely benign LLM, confidence 0.75 Loads browsers.json from a symlink-resolved directory.
Reasoning
The require path is built from a symlink target read from the local install directory to locate browsers.json. This is a legitimate lookup, though the dynamic path warrants a glance at how linkTarget is validated.
info ~~warn~~ → info by review dynamic-import packages/playwright-core/src/server/registry/index.ts:1396:38

`require` called with a non-literal specifier (ast pass, confidence 0.60)
```
export const registry = new Registry(require(path.join(packageRoot, 'browsers.json')));

export { runOopDownloadBrowserMain } from './oopDownloadBrowserMain';
```
likely benign LLM, confidence 0.90 Loads the bundled browsers.json manifest from the package root.
Reasoning
The require loads browsers.json from the package root. This is a standard static resource load.
info ~~critical~~ → info by review dynamic-execution packages/playwright-core/src/tools/backend/evaluate.ts:50:25

`eval` called with a non-literal expression (ast pass, confidence 0.90)
```
        evalResult = await locator.locator.evaluate(async (element, expr) => {
          const value = eval(`(${expr})`);
          const isFunction = typeof value === 'function';
          const result = await (isFunction ? value(element) : value);
```
likely benign LLM, confidence 0.70 Evaluates a caller-supplied JavaScript expression in the browser page context.
Reasoning
eval of an expression inside the page context is the stated purpose of this browser evaluation tool. It is by-design arbitrary JavaScript execution, so it is a deliberate capability rather than obfuscation. It is risky if the input is untrusted, but the snippet shows no hidden or malicious intent.
info ~~critical~~ → info by review dynamic-execution packages/playwright-core/src/tools/backend/evaluate.ts:57:25

`eval` called with a non-literal expression (ast pass, confidence 0.90)
```
        evalResult = await tab.page.evaluate(async expr => {
          const value = eval(`(${expr})`);
          const isFunction = typeof value === 'function';
          const result = await (isFunction ? value() : value);
```
likely benign LLM, confidence 0.70 Evaluates a caller-supplied expression in the page for the tab-level evaluate tool.
Reasoning
Same by-design in-page evaluation of a supplied expression as the locator variant. It is an intended feature of the tool, with the risk coming from the trust placed in its input.
info ~~warn~~ → info by review dynamic-import packages/playwright-core/src/tools/cli-client/program.ts:78:16

`require` called with a non-literal specifier (ast pass, confidence 0.60)
```
  const clientInfo = createClientInfo();
  const help = require(libPath('tools', 'cli-client', 'help.json'));

  const argv = process.argv.slice(2);
```
dismissed LLM, confidence 0.90 Loads a bundled help.json file for the CLI client through a path helper.
Reasoning
The specifier is `libPath('tools','cli-client','help.json')`, a fixed relative path to a bundled JSON help file. The non-literal form comes only from a path helper. This is a standard way to load bundled assets and shows no sign of malicious intent.
info ~~warn~~ → info by review dynamic-import packages/playwright-core/src/tools/utils/connect.ts:21:14

`require` called with a non-literal specifier (ast pass, confidence 0.60)
```
export async function connectToBrowserAcrossVersions(descriptor: BrowserDescriptor): Promise<playwright.Browser> {
  const pw = require(descriptor.playwrightLib);
  const browserType = pw[descriptor.browser.browserName] as playwright.BrowserType;
  return await browserType.connect(descriptorEndpoint(descriptor));
```
likely benign LLM, confidence 0.70 Dynamically loads a Playwright library chosen by a descriptor field to connect to a browser of a given version.
Reasoning
`descriptor.playwrightLib` selects which Playwright module to load so the code can connect to browsers across versions. The module is chosen from a descriptor the program constructs, not from network input or decoded data. Dynamic module selection by name is a legitimate pattern for version compatibility, though an attacker who controls the descriptor could load an arbitrary module.

Reproduce This Scan

Run disclude locally to verify. Add --format sarif for SARIF output. Add --llm (with an API key in the environment) to include the LLM review.

cargo install disclude --version 4.0.0
git clone https://github.com/microsoft/playwright playwright && cd playwright
git checkout b335271cdc2b57cac2be8ad37c5dd283ac6b8938
disclude scan --severity info --diff b335271cdc2b57cac2be8ad37c5dd283ac6b8938 packages/playwright-core