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Security audit

Skywork Search

Security checks for vulnerabilities and agentic risk

Overview

This skill is a straightforward Skywork web-search integration, with disclosed API-key use and network calls, though users should handle the API key carefully.

Install only if you are comfortable sending search queries to Skywork and storing a Skywork API key for the skill. Prefer the OpenClaw-managed API-key configuration, avoid printing or sharing the key, and restrict access to any config files where you store it.

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
  • Rogue AgentSelf-Modification, Session Persistence
  • 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)

Agent Config Directory Access

High
Category
Agent Snooping
Confidence
90% confidence
Finding

Skill reads from agent configuration directories (.claude/, .codex/, .gemini/). These directories may contain API keys, personal settings, and other credentials that the skill has no legitimate need to access.

Content

Scanner excerpt · references/apikey-fetch.md (reported line 60)May include surrounding context.

Option B — Claude Code settings

Add the variable to ~/.claude/settings.json:

json
{

Agent Config Directory Access

High
Category
Agent Snooping
Confidence
90% confidence
Finding

Skill reads from agent configuration directories (.claude/, .codex/, .gemini/). These directories may contain API keys, personal settings, and other credentials that the skill has no legitimate need to access.

Content

Scanner excerpt · references/apikey-fetch.md (reported line 94)May include surrounding context.

Option B — Claude Code settings

Add the variable to ~/.claude/settings.json:

json
{

Agent Config Directory Access

High
Category
Agent Snooping
Confidence
90% confidence
Finding

Skill reads from agent configuration directories (.claude/, .codex/, .gemini/). These directories may contain API keys, personal settings, and other credentials that the skill has no legitimate need to access.

Content

Scanner excerpt · references/apikey-fetch.md (reported line 99)May include surrounding context.

Option B — Claude Code settings

Add the variable to ~/.claude/settings.json:

json
{

Undeclared Tool Scope

Medium
Category
MCP Least Privilege
Confidence
86% confidence
Finding

The skill advertises executable behavior that uses environment variables, writes files, and performs network access, but it does not declare any explicit tool scope such as permissions or allowed-tools. That creates an authorization and review gap: the runtime may permit broader capability use than a reviewer or orchestrator expects, increasing the chance of unintended data exposure or misuse.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Vague Triggers

Medium
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
96% confidence
Finding

Several listed trigger phrases such as 'search for,' 'look up,' and 'find information about' are generic and likely to appear in ordinary conversation, which can create trigger collisions. In this skill's context, that mainly risks unnecessary invocation of a networked tool and avoidable transmission of prompts or sensitive context to the external search service.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Vague Triggers

Medium
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
92% confidence
Finding

Several listed trigger phrases such as 'search for,' 'look up,' and 'find information about' are generic and likely to appear in ordinary conversation, which can create trigger collisions. In this skill's context, that mainly risks unnecessary invocation of a networked tool and avoidable transmission of prompts or sensitive context to the external search service.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Session Persistence

Medium
Category
Rogue Agent
Confidence
60% confidence
Finding

Skill establishes unauthorized persistence across sessions via cron jobs, startup scripts, or state files. Session persistence allows an attacker to maintain access beyond the current interaction.

Content

Scanner excerpt · references/apikey-fetch.md (reported line 15)May include surrounding context.

md
- Log in with your Skywork account
- Open account / Settings / API Key (**https://skywork.ai/?openApiKeySetting=1**)
- Create or copy your **API key**

If your organization uses a separate console or test environment, use the URL and credentials your team provides.

Missing User Warnings

Medium
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
92% confidence
Finding

The guide tells users to place a live API key in shell startup files and config files, and to print it with echo, but it does not warn about credential exposure, file permissions, shell history, or masking secrets in logs/screenshots. This increases the chance of accidental disclosure of the Skywork credential to local users, backups, support bundles, or recorded terminal sessions.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Static analysis

No suspicious patterns detected.