The Third-Party Module Threat
Your D2C installs a popular payment processing module from the Odoo App Store. The module is downloaded 10,000 times. It has 4.8 stars and looks legitimate.
Scenario A: No Security Evaluation
1. Install module without review
2. Module contains malicious code (backdoor)
3. Attacker gains access to customer payment data
4. 2,000 customers' credit cards stolen
5. Attacker sells data for $200,000
Result: Complete breach, regulatory fines, customer lawsuits, reputation destroyed
Cost: $500K-$5M + criminal liability
Scenario B: Proper Security Evaluation
1. Evaluate before install: GitHub repo ✓, Active maintenance ✓, Code reviews ✓
2. Code review (15 min): No credentials ✓, No vulnerabilities ✓, No suspicious patterns ✓
3. Install module, monitor behavior, data safe
Result: Attack prevented, data protected | Cost: 30 minutes review time
We've implemented 150+ Odoo systems. Ones that evaluate modules before install? Zero supply chain breaches. Ones that don't? $200K-$5M damages. Completely preventable.
Three-Tier Evaluation Framework
Tier 1: Quick Checks (5 Minutes)
| Check | Pass | Fail |
|---|---|---|
| Official source? | Odoo Store ✓, OCA ✓ | Random site ✗ |
| Active maintenance? | Last 30 days ✓ | 2+ years ✗ |
| Community backing? | 100+ stars ✓ | Zero stars ✗ |
| Public repository? | GitHub/GitLab ✓ | No code ✗ |
Tier 2: Code Review (30 Minutes)
1. __manifest__.py - Check permissions, dependencies
2. models/*.py - Check hardcoded credentials, raw SQL, API calls
3. controllers/*.py - Check input validation, authentication
4. templates/* - Check HTML escaping, JS injection risk
5. requirements.txt - Check dependencies listed, pinned versionsTier 3: Automated Scanning
pip install safety
safety check > report.txt
pip install bandit
bandit -r module_name/
pip install pylint
pylint module_name/Module Scoring System
| Score | Decision |
|---|---|
| 14/14 | Install with confidence |
| 12/14 | Review manually before install |
| 10/14 | Consult security team |
| <10/14 | Do not install |
Real Evaluation: 3 Payment Modules
Module 1: "Quick Pay" - REJECT
✗ Third-party website | ✗ Last updated 1 year ago | ✗ No GitHub | ✗ 2 downloads
Risk: Likely contains malicious code or backdoor
Module 2: "Payment Bridge" - INSTALL
✓ Odoo Store | ✓ Updated 5 days ago | ✓ GitHub | ✓ 150+ stars | ✓ No vulnerabilities
Module 3: "Express Payment" (OCA) - HIGHEST CONFIDENCE
✓ OCA trusted | ✓ Updated 10 days ago | ✓ 300+ stars | ✓ Peer reviewed | ✓ Zero vulnerabilities
Your Action Items
For Existing Modules
❏ List all installed third-party modules
❏ Run Tier 1 Quick Checks on each
❏ For critical modules: Tier 2 Code Review
❏ Check dependencies (safety check)
For New Modules
❏ Score must be 12/14 minimum
❏ For payment/auth: Full Tier 2 review
❏ Run dependency check
Free Module Security Assessment
Most D2C brands have 20-50 third-party modules with zero security review. Installing a backdoored module costs $500K-$5M.