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Security audit

Hacker news on topic AI and agent only

Security checks for vulnerabilities and agentic risk

Overview

This skill is a small Hacker News fetcher whose network access is disclosed and fits its stated purpose.

Before installing, expect the skill to run a local Python script that makes read-only requests to HN Algolia and prints public Hacker News story data. It does not appear to handle secrets or modify files, but users should be comfortable with that outbound network request and the Python requests dependency.

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
  • MCP Least PrivilegeUnderdeclared Capability, Wildcard Permission, Missing Permission Declaration
  • Prompt InjectionInstruction Override, Hidden Instructions, Exfiltration Commands
  • Data ExfiltrationExternal Transmission, Env Variable Harvesting, File System Enumeration
  • Privilege EscalationExcessive Permissions, Sudo/Root Execution, Credential Access
  • Supply ChainUnpinned Dependencies, External Script Fetching, Obfuscated Code
Findings (2)

Undeclared Tool Scope

Medium
Category
MCP Least Privilege
Confidence
82% confidence
Finding

The skill instructs execution of a Python script that performs network access to an external API, but the manifest declares no explicit tool scope or permissions. This creates an authorization and governance gap: an agent may invoke network-capable code without clear least-privilege constraints, making review, enforcement, and user consent weaker.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Natural-Language Policy Violations

Low
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
93% confidence
Finding

The command help strings use Chinese text for argument descriptions, which imposes a specific language on users without any opt-in or alternative locale. This is a natural-language policy issue because the tool does not offer a language choice or document a justified locale restriction.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.