Error in First method in GetPackages task when csproj file doesn't contain any packagereferences

[amolpatty]

SCANNING: XXXXX.csproj ...

INFO: due to OSS index rate limiting waiting 10 seconds before scanning ...
19:48:38<01> [AUDIT] [WARNING] The Docker host root directory is not mounted on the DevAudit Docker image at /hostroot so no chroot for executables is possible.
19:48:38<01> [AUDIT] [SUCCESS] Detected operating system of environment is debian.
19:48:39<01> [AUDIT] [SUCCESS] Detected operating system version of environment is buster/sid.
19:48:40<01> [AUDIT] [INFO] Using .NET Core package source configuration file /app/XXXXX.csproj.
19:48:40<01> [HOST] [INFO] Using OSS Index as default package vulnerabilities data source for .NET Core package source.
19:48:40<01> [AUDIT] [STATUS] Scanning .NET Core packages.
19:48:40<06> [AUDIT] [INFO] Reading packages from .NET Core C# .csproj file.
19:48:42<06> [AUDIT] [INFO] Scanning NuGet transitive dependencies for .NETCoreApp3.1...
19:48:42<01> [AUDIT] [ERROR] Error in First method in GetPackages task.
19:48:42<01> [AUDIT] [ERROR] Exception occurred.
DEBUG: Result from devaudit script: >252<

`

<PropertyGroup>
    <TargetFramework>netcoreapp3.1</TargetFramework>
</PropertyGroup>    

<ItemGroup>        
    <FrameworkReference Include="Microsoft.AspNetCore.App" />
</ItemGroup>

<ItemGroup>
  <ProjectReference Include="..\YYYYYYYYYYYY.csproj" />
</ItemGroup>

`

[mcallaghan-geotab]

The "verdict" here seems to be that devaudit explodes if there isn't a single PackageReference entry