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Security audit

scraping-youtube-channel-info

Security checks for vulnerabilities and agentic risk

Overview

This skill is a coherent Apify-based YouTube channel metadata scraper, with third-party transmission and broad output mapping disclosed enough to treat as expected integration behavior.

Install only if you are comfortable sending YouTube URLs, handles, keywords, and related parameters to Apify. Avoid using confidential research terms unless your Apify account and data handling policies allow it, and review customMapFunction usage before allowing broad downstream output transformations.

A.I.G

Vulnerability Patterns
  • Skill Instruction HijackingAlters the agent's session goals or safety constraints when the skill loads
  • Agent Memory PoisoningWrites attacker-controlled rules into memory that affect later sessions
  • Remote Payload Retrieval and ExecutionFetches external code whose behavior can change after review
  • Embedded Malicious CodeShips malicious scripts inside the skill and executes them locally
  • Unauthorized Access and Privilege EscalationObtains permissions beyond the task's legitimate needs

SkillSpector

Vulnerability Patterns
  • Data ExfiltrationExternal Transmission, Env Variable Harvesting, File System Enumeration
  • MCP Tool PoisoningHidden Instructions, Unicode Deception, Parameter Description Injection
  • Prompt InjectionInstruction Override, Hidden Instructions, Exfiltration Commands
  • Privilege EscalationExcessive Permissions, Sudo/Root Execution, Credential Access
  • Supply ChainUnpinned Dependencies, External Script Fetching, Obfuscated Code
Findings (6)

Description-Behavior Mismatch

Medium
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
93% confidence
Finding

The skill is described as returning limited YouTube channel metadata, but it also exposes a customMapFunction that allows arbitrary JavaScript-based transformation of each output object and states it returns the 'full dataset.' This creates a capability mismatch: users and downstream systems may trust a narrow, low-risk data contract while the actor can process broader fields or transform outputs in unexpected ways, increasing the chance of oversharing, policy bypass, or unsafe downstream handling.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Missing User Warnings

Medium
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
95% confidence
Finding

The documentation tells users to invoke an external Apify actor but does not clearly warn that user-supplied queries, handles, and URLs are transmitted to a third-party service. This can lead to unintended disclosure of sensitive research targets, internal investigation terms, or proprietary input data, especially in enterprise or regulated environments.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
93% confidence
Finding

This skill explicitly sends requests to api.apify.com, meaning user inputs and any embedded identifiers are transmitted outside the local trust boundary. External transmission is dangerous when users are not clearly informed, because sensitive search terms, channel lists, or investigation targets may be logged or retained by the third-party service.

Content

Scanner excerpt · SKILL.md (reported line 55)May include surrounding context.

REST API fallback

bash
curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/apidojo~youtube-channel-scraper/runs" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"keywords": ["cooking channel"], "gl": "us", "maxItems": 20}'

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
93% confidence
Finding

This skill explicitly sends requests to api.apify.com, meaning user inputs and any embedded identifiers are transmitted outside the local trust boundary. External transmission is dangerous when users are not clearly informed, because sensitive search terms, channel lists, or investigation targets may be logged or retained by the third-party service.

Content

Scanner excerpt · SKILL.md (reported line 55)May include surrounding context.

REST API fallback

bash
curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/apidojo~youtube-channel-scraper/runs" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"keywords": ["cooking channel"], "gl": "us", "maxItems": 20}'

Intent-Code Divergence

Low
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
91% confidence
Finding

Lines L03-L10 describe a focused skill that returns a specific set of channel fields for research use cases. Line L20 then states there is "No assumed use case" and that it "returns the full dataset for downstream analysis," which actively conflicts with the earlier constrained description of purpose and outputs.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Natural-Language Policy Violations

Low
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
84% confidence
Finding

The inputs table sets default values of gl to us and hl to en, which imposes a country and language preference by default. The documentation does not explain this locale choice or indicate that users should opt into or adjust these settings based on their preference.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Static analysis

No suspicious patterns detected.