Vet a new AI library by checking who maintains it, how it releases, what advisories it has, what it does at install time, which license it carries, and how many transitive packages it adds. Fifteen minutes on these six checks catches most avoidable problems before they enter your lockfile.
Why AI libraries deserve a closer look
AI tooling moves fast. New agent frameworks, connectors, and wrappers appear weekly, often from small teams, and they tend to request broad access: your model keys, your files, your tools. OWASP's supply chain entry for LLM applications lists vulnerable packages, unclear licenses, and weak provenance among its concerns.
The six checks
| Check | Question | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Maintainers | More than one active maintainer? Is the account protected? | Repository and registry page |
| Release habits | Regular tagged releases, changelog, signed or attested builds? | Release page |
| Advisories | Past advisories and how fast they were fixed | Advisory databases |
| Install behavior | Install scripts, native build steps, network calls at install | Package contents |
| License | Compatible with how you ship it? | License file and metadata |
| Depth | How many transitive packages does it add? | Dependency tree |
Use a scorecard as a starting point
OpenSSF Scorecard runs 18 automated checks on open source projects, including maintenance status, security policy, dependency update tooling, pinned dependencies, code review, branch protection, and signed releases. It can be run from the command line on any project. A low score is a prompt to look closer, and a high score is not a guarantee, but it saves you from collecting the basics by hand.
Check the advisory history, not just today's list
Search the GitHub Advisory Database and OSV for the package name. Note how long fixes took after reports. Zero advisories for a young project can mean no scrutiny, not good health.
Decide how much access it gets
Run unfamiliar agent or connector code with minimal privileges: no production keys, a scoped network, a throwaway workspace. If it needs broad permissions to work, treat that as part of the decision.
Record the decision
Write down why you accepted it and who owns upgrades. Pin the version, and review each update before taking it.
A short note on Safeguard
Safeguard offers SBOM and dependency scanning, plus asset discovery, so you can see what a new library added to your inventory. Try a free scan at gold.safeguard.sh/scan.
Quick check
Is a high star count a sign of safety?
No. Popularity helps you find problems faster but does not measure maintenance or security practice.
Should every dependency get this review?
Do the full review for libraries that touch keys, files, or tools, and a quick scan for the rest.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
