cursor-cli: bundled node quarantined; macOS blocks and kills cursor-agent

[MichaelRWolf]

Summary

• Installing Homebrew cask cursor-cli results in a quarantined bundled Node binary.
• On Intel macOS, running cursor-agent triggers a Gatekeeper “node” malware warning dialog.
• After clicking “Done”, the process is terminated (Killed: 9).
• Removing the quarantine attribute from the dist-package fixes it immediately.

Environment

• macOS: darwin 24.6.0 (macOS 15.6.x)
• CPU arch: x86_64 (Intel)
• Homebrew cask cursor-cli version: 2026.01.23-916f423
• cursor-agent location:
  /usr/local/bin/cursor-agent -> /usr/local/Caskroom/cursor-cli/2026.01.23-916f423/dist-package/cursor-agent

Repro steps

1. Install:
   brew install --cask cursor-cli
2. Run:
   cursor-agent --version

Actual result

• macOS dialog appears:
  “node” Not Opened
  Apple could not verify “node” is free of malware...
• Terminal shows:
  Killed: 9 cursor-agent --version

Diagnostics

• The wrapper executes bundled node:
  /usr/local/Caskroom/cursor-cli/2026.01.23-916f423/dist-package/node

• The node binary is x86_64:
  file .../dist-package/node
  -> Mach-O 64-bit executable x86_64

• Quarantine attribute is present:
  xattr -l .../dist-package/node
  com.apple.quarantine: 0381;...

• codesign is OK:
  codesign --verify --deep --strict --verbose=4 .../dist-package/node
  ...: valid on disk
  ...: satisfies its Designated Requirement

• spctl rejects it because it is quarantined and “not an app”:
  spctl --assess --type execute --verbose=4 .../dist-package/node
  ...: rejected (the code is valid but does not seem to be an app)

Expected result

• cursor-agent should run without Gatekeeper prompts or termination.

Workaround / Fix

• Remove quarantine from the dist-package:
  xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /usr/local/Caskroom/cursor-cli/2026.01.23-916f423/dist-package
• After that:
  cursor-agent --version
  -> 2026.01.23-916f423

Notes

• This looks like the cask install is preserving quarantine on the downloaded artifact, and the dist-package contains a standalone executable that Gatekeeper blocks when quarantined.

[jonstorer]

Also occurring on Silicon Macs

[martimlobao]

Seems to be resolved as for latest version #246774? At least I'm not able to reproduce the error.

Edt: nvm, not sure what changed, but after uninstalling and re-installing, I'm also seeing the same error.