Defending the Core: A Centrality-Based Protection Strategy for Supply Chain Security in npm Dependency Network

The modern software supply chain, taking Node Package Manager (npm) dependency network for example, relies heavily on shared open-source dependencies. While this promotes rapid development, it introduces systemic vulnerabilities as well. Concerning this potential risk, we analyze the npm dependency network by modeling 53,481 packages and 78,520 dependency edges, and classify the network as a scale-free topology. Thus, we demonstrate its inherent vulnerability to targeted attacks on high-degree hubs. To mitigate this, we propose and evaluate a dual-pronged defense strategy consisting of Centrality-Based Node-Hardening and Dependency Weight Warning system. Moreover, by simulating the network under various attack scenarios, we prove that applying strict security protocols to just the top 1% of nodes, combined with pruning 30% of structurally trivial edges, prevents catastrophic network collapse and neutralizes cascading malware infections. The source code can be found at https://github.com/5tarWhee1/Centrality-Based-Protection-Strategy-for-Supply-Chain-Security-in-npm-Dependency-Network.