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Security audit

tiktok-ad-research

Security checks for vulnerabilities and agentic risk

Overview

This skill is a focused TikTok ad-research helper that discloses its Crawlora API use and does not show hidden persistence, privilege escalation, or unrelated data access.

Install only if you are comfortable sending TikTok ad-research queries and your Crawlora API key to Crawlora. Keep CRAWLORA_API_KEY in an environment variable or secret store, avoid sharing logs that could contain requests or responses, and treat returned ad data as public-signal research rather than proof of advertiser spend or performance causation.

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
Vulnerability Patterns
  • Data ExfiltrationExternal Transmission, Env Variable Harvesting, File System Enumeration
  • Privilege EscalationExcessive Permissions, Sudo/Root Execution, Credential Access
  • Trigger AbuseOverly Broad Trigger, Shadow Command Trigger, Keyword Baiting Trigger
  • MCP Least PrivilegeUnderdeclared Capability, Wildcard Permission, Missing Permission Declaration
  • Prompt InjectionInstruction Override, Hidden Instructions, Exfiltration Commands
Findings (8)

Undeclared Tool Scope

Medium
Category
MCP Least Privilege
Confidence
89% confidence
Finding

The skill instructs the agent to run a shell script but does not declare any explicit tool restrictions or permissions. That creates an avoidable trust gap: an execution-capable skill can invoke local shell behavior and network access without clear scoping, increasing the chance of unintended command execution or misuse if the skill is modified or composed with other inputs.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
78% confidence
Finding

The skill requires sending an API key in an HTTP header to an external third-party service, which is a real data egress and secret-exposure boundary. Even though this is expected for the skill's purpose, it still creates risk if the script logs headers, forwards unintended data, or if users do not understand that prompts, query terms, and credentials are leaving the local environment.

Content

Scanner excerpt · SKILL.md (reported line 16)May include surrounding context.

md
Set `CRAWLORA_API_KEY` to your key from [crawlora.net](https://crawlora.net).
Run the bundled `scripts/crawlora.sh` from this skill directory or by absolute
path. It sends `x-api-key` to `https://api.crawlora.net/api/v1` and prints JSON.
Keep the key in the environment. Read [reference/endpoints.md](reference/endpoints.md)
for the ten Top Ads endpoints and their exact parameters.

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
60% confidence
Finding

Data is being sent to an external URL. This could be legitimate telemetry or data exfiltration. Manual review is recommended.

Content

Scanner excerpt · reference/endpoints.md (reported line 7)May include surrounding context.

md
#!/usr/bin/env bash
# Crawlora REST helper — minimal, dependency-free (curl only).
# Calls https://api.crawlora.net/api/v1 with your Crawlora API key.
# Get a free key (2,000 credits/mo, no card) at https://crawlora.net?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=crawlora-skills.
#
# Usage:

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
60% confidence
Finding

Data is being sent to an external URL. This could be legitimate telemetry or data exfiltration. Manual review is recommended.

Content

Scanner excerpt · scripts/crawlora.sh (reported line 3)May include surrounding context.

sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash
# Crawlora REST helper — minimal, dependency-free (curl only).
# Calls https://api.crawlora.net/api/v1 with your Crawlora API key.
# Get a free key (2,000 credits/mo, no card) at https://crawlora.net?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=crawlora-skills.
#
# Usage:

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
60% confidence
Finding

Data is being sent to an external URL. This could be legitimate telemetry or data exfiltration. Manual review is recommended.

Content

Scanner excerpt · scripts/crawlora.sh (reported line 20)May include surrounding context.

sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash
# Crawlora REST helper — minimal, dependency-free (curl only).
# Calls https://api.crawlora.net/api/v1 with your Crawlora API key.
# Get a free key (2,000 credits/mo, no card) at https://crawlora.net?utm_source=github&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=crawlora-skills.
#
# Usage:

Sudo/Root Execution

Medium
Category
Privilege Escalation
Confidence
80% confidence
Finding

Commands invoke sudo or root privileges. Verify this elevated access is necessary and justified.

Content

Scanner excerpt · scripts/crawlora.sh (reported line 92)May include surrounding context.

sh
# config supplies the header and is removed automatically on exit.
umask 077
curl_config="$(mktemp "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/crawlora-curl.XXXXXX")"
chmod 600 "$curl_config"
trap 'rm -f "$curl_config"' EXIT
printf 'header = "x-api-key: %s"\n' "$CRAWLORA_API_KEY" >"$curl_config"
auth=(--config "$curl_config")

Vague Triggers

Low
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
82% confidence
Finding

This markdown file says the endpoints are used by 'this workflow' and should be called via another script, but it does not specify concrete activation phrases, scope limits, or exclusion conditions for when the skill should be invoked. For markdown files, missing specificity around invocation context can create ambiguity about when the documented capability applies.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Missing User Warnings

Low
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
88% confidence
Finding

The markdown instructs users to supply x-api-key: $CRAWLORA_API_KEY, which involves sensitive credential use, but the file provides no warning about securely storing, handling, or avoiding accidental disclosure of that secret. For markdown files, omission of warnings around privacy or system-integrity-relevant behavior is in scope.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.