T08 · Insecure Dependencies
- Location
SKILL.md:1- Finding
Unpinned External Skill Installation
- Content
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Vulnerability Details
File Location:
SKILL.md, lines 1-2
Vulnerability Type: Unverified and unpinned external dependency installation
Risk Level: MediumRelevant Code Snippet:
text openclaw skills install polymarket-trade-assistantThe preceding line states that the current skill is deprecated and directs the user to use the external skill named in this command.
Technical Analysis
The project contains no auditable implementation beyond a deprecation notice that directs users to install
polymarket-trade-assistant. The installation command does not specify an immutable version, integrity hash, verified source, or trusted publisher.Consequently, the effective content installed by this instruction can change independently of the reviewed artifact. A registry compromise, publisher account compromise, malicious package replacement, or unsafe update could cause users to install instructions or executable components that were never included in this audit.
The audited file does not prove that the referenced skill is malicious. The confirmed weakness is that it delegates functionality to an external, unpinned component whose contents and provenance cannot be verified from this project.
Attack Path
- A user loads this deprecated skill and follows its replacement instruction.
- The user runs
openclaw skills install polymarket-trade-assistant. - The installer resolves the external skill using its current mutable package identity rather than a reviewed immutable version and integrity hash.
- If the external package source or publisher is compromised, attacker-controlled content is returned.
- The replacement skill is installed and may execute instructions or code using the capabilities granted to the skill runtime.
Impact Assessment
Successful exploitation could allow attacker-controlled skill content to operate with the permissions available to the installer and the resulting ...[truncated 483 chars]
- Remediation
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Remediation Suggestions
- Pin the replacement skill to a reviewed, immutable version rather than installing by an unversioned package name.
- Require and verify a cryptographic integrity hash or signed release before installation.
- Document the authoritative registry, repository, publisher identity, and expected package checksum.
- Vendor the reviewed replacement into the project when feasible so its complete contents can be audited with this artifact.
- Review the replacement skill's instructions, scripts, dependencies, requested tools, network access, and filesystem permissions before recommending it.
- Apply least-privilege restrictions during installation and execution, and require explicit user confirmation before granting sensitive capabilities.
- Replace the current installation instruction with a command or procedure that performs version and integrity verification.
