T09 · Insecure Skill Coding Practices
Warning
- Location
SKILL.md:31- Finding
Plaintext API Credential Persistence Without Enforced File Protection
- Content
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Vulnerability Details
File Location:
SKILL.md, lines 31-39
Vulnerability Type: Plaintext sensitive-data storage
Risk Level: MediumVulnerable Code Snippet
markdown 6. Resolve credentials only from `api_key` in the directory containing this `SKILL.md`. Read its first non-empty line. Do not inspect environment variables or any other local path. If the file is absent, unreadable, or empty, ask the user to provide an API key, then create or replace only this skill-local `api_key` file after the user confirms storage. Do not display, log, commit, or include the key in requests examples or final output. 7. Before uploading a document to ComPDF, identify the affected files and destination, and obtain confirmation unless the user has explicitly authorized that upload. Also obtain confirmation before operations that overwrite, delete, decrypt, or apply permanent protection. 8. Return the endpoint, method, content type, complete request fields, expected task/result fields, and the next polling or download step. Preserve original files unless replacement is explicitly requested. ## Credentials Store only the current skill's API key in the sibling `api_key` file. This file is private runtime state and must be excluded from version control and skill publishing. To obtain an API key, register or sign in at [ComPDF Portal](https://www.compdf.com/compdf-portal/signin?utm_source=clawhub&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=compdf_skills_repo_en&ref_platform_id=clawhub_compdfkit_skills_en). On first use, provide the key when requested and confirm storing it in the skill-local `api_key` file; later requests reuse that stored key.Technical Analysis
The Skill explicitly directs the Agent to persist the ComPDF API key in a plaintext
api_keyfile. Although it states that the file is private runtime state and must not be committed or published, it does not enforce owner-only permissions, atomic creation, symlink reje ...[truncated 2033 chars]- Remediation
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Remediation Suggestions
- Prefer an operating-system credential manager or a dedicated secret-management service instead of plaintext file storage.
- If file-based storage is unavoidable, create the file atomically with owner-only permissions such as
0600. - Add
/api_keyto a committed.gitignorefile and configure secret scanning in the repository. - Resolve and validate the destination path before writing, reject symbolic links, and ensure the final path remains inside the Skill directory.
- Avoid broad overwrite behavior; use exclusive creation or a safely implemented atomic replacement procedure.
- Document credential revocation and rotation procedures for suspected exposure.
- Keep the existing controls that prohibit displaying, logging, committing, or embedding the key in examples and final output.