Fix: Parse package.json with non-standard fields in 'author' section

syft/pkg/cataloger/javascript/parse_package_json.go

@@ -82,23 +82,23 @@ func parsePackageJSON(_ context.Context, _ file.Resolver, _ *generic.Environment
 
 func (a *author) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) error {
 	var authorStr string
-	var fields map[string]string
 	var auth author
 
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &authorStr); err != nil {
-		// string parsing did not work, assume a map was given
-		// for more information: https://docs.npmjs.com/files/package.json#people-fields-author-contributors
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &authorStr); err == nil {
+		// successfully parsed as a string, now parse that string into fields
+		fields := internal.MatchNamedCaptureGroups(authorPattern, authorStr)
+		if err := mapstructure.Decode(fields, &auth); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("unable to decode package.json author: %w", err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		// it's a map that may contain fields of various data types (not just strings)
+		var fields map[string]interface{}
 		if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &fields); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("unable to parse package.json author: %w", err)
 		}
-	} else {
-		// parse out "name <email> (url)" into an author struct
-		fields = internal.MatchNamedCaptureGroups(authorPattern, authorStr)
-	}
-
-	// translate the map into a structure
-	if err := mapstructure.Decode(fields, &auth); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("unable to decode package.json author: %w", err)
+		if err := mapstructure.Decode(fields, &auth); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("unable to decode package.json author: %w", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	*a = auth

syft/pkg/cataloger/javascript/parse_package_json_test.go

@@ -179,6 +179,27 @@ func TestParsePackageJSON(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			Fixture: "test-fixtures/pkg-json/package-author-non-standard.json",
+			ExpectedPkg: pkg.Package{
+				Name:    "npm",
+				Version: "6.14.6",
+				PURL:    "pkg:npm/npm@6.14.6",
+				Type:    pkg.NpmPkg,
+				Licenses: pkg.NewLicenseSet(
+					pkg.NewLicenseFromLocations("Artistic-2.0", file.NewLocation("test-fixtures/pkg-json/package-author-non-standard.json")),
+				),
+				Language: pkg.JavaScript,
+				Metadata: pkg.NpmPackage{
+					Name:        "npm",
+					Version:     "6.14.6",
+					Author:      "npm Inc. (https://www.npmjs.com/)",
+					Homepage:    "https://docs.npmjs.com/",
+					URL:         "https://github.com/npm/cli",
+					Description: "a package manager for JavaScript",
+				},
+			},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range tests {

syft/pkg/cataloger/javascript/test-fixtures/pkg-json/package-author-non-standard.json

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+{
+  "version": "6.14.6",
+  "name": "npm",
+  "description": "a package manager for JavaScript",
+  "homepage": "https://docs.npmjs.com/",
+  "author": {
+    "name": "npm Inc.",
+    "url": "https://www.npmjs.com/",
+    "organization": true
+  },
+  "repository": {
+    "type": "git",
+    "url": "https://github.com/npm/cli"
+  },
+  "license": "Artistic-2.0"
+}