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Security audit

专利检索入门

Security checks for vulnerabilities and agentic risk

Overview

This patent tutorial needs review because its client can expose API keys through redirects and let crafted patent numbers access files outside its cache.

Prefer waiting for fixes that restrict credential destinations and contain cache paths. If evaluating this version, use an isolated environment, public example topics, and trial access rather than a paid key. Queries reach PatentMax, usage can incur charges, and the credential workflow may retain a key for future sessions. Set an explicit spending limit before paid use.

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
  • Output HandlingUnvalidated Output Injection, Cross-Context Output, Unbounded Output
  • Taint TrackingDirect Taint Flow, Variable-Mediated Taint Flow, Credential Exfiltration Chain
  • MCP Least PrivilegeUnderdeclared Capability, Wildcard Permission, Missing Permission Declaration
  • MCP Tool PoisoningHidden Instructions, Unicode Deception, Parameter Description Injection
Findings (28)

Tainted flow: 'req' from os.environ.get (line 138, credential/environment) → urllib.request.urlopen (network output)

Critical
Category
Data Flow
Confidence
90% confidence
Finding

Credentials or environment variables flow to a network sink. This is a high-confidence indicator of credential exfiltration.

Content

Scanner excerpt · scripts/patentmax_client.py (reported line 142)May include surrounding context.

python
req.add_header("Content-Type", "application/json")
    req.add_header("Accept", "application/json")
    try:
        with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=30) as response:
            payload = json.loads(response.read().decode("utf-8"))
    except urllib.error.HTTPError as exc:
        message = _server_message(exc.read().decode("utf-8", "replace"))

Tainted flow: 'req' from os.environ.get (line 333, credential/environment) → urllib.request.urlopen (network output)

Critical
Category
Data Flow
Confidence
96% confidence
Finding

Sending the API key to the intended patent service is legitimate, but this implementation does not constrain its destination: it accepts a non-HTTPS or arbitrary configured origin, and urllib's default redirect handling can forward the manually added Authorization header to another origin. An attacker-controlled configuration or malicious service redirect could therefore disclose a saved or environment-supplied paid API key; normal requests to the default HTTPS service are not themselves exfiltration.

Content

Scanner excerpt · scripts/patentmax_client.py (reported line 344)May include surrounding context.

python
req.add_header(key, value)

    try:
        with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=TIMEOUT) as response:
            payload = response.read()
            # 服务端每个响应都回本次实扣和扣完后的余额。记下来,供 _spent/_balance 输出。
            # 拿服务端的真值,而不是在本地累加估价:跨进程累加迟早算岔,

Description-Behavior Mismatch

High
Category
MCP Tool Poisoning
Confidence
99% confidence
Finding

Using an API key internally could support live patent searches, but printing part of that key is not necessary for or disclosed by the tutorial purpose. The supplied command exposes credential material rather than conducting or teaching patent searches. No external transmission is shown.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Description-Behavior Mismatch

High
Category
MCP Tool Poisoning
Confidence
91% confidence
Finding

Live patent API searches, result normalization, caching, and local notes are reasonable supporting implementation details for the declared tutorial. However, the supplied code also implements an undisclosed service-access lifecycle: it automatically claims trial credentials, persists them locally, uses paid account credentials, and emits instructions asking the assistant to obtain and save a user's replacement key. Its company-profiling and aggregate-analysis commands further broaden the advertised scope. The absence of tutorial narration or Markdown generation in this helper alone is not treated as a mismatch, since those functions could be implemented elsewhere in the skill.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Code capability 'env' detected in scripts/patentmax_client.py but not covered by declared permissions.

High
Category
MCP Least Privilege
Confidence
75% confidence
Finding

The skill uses 'env' capability that is not covered by the declared 'allowed-tools' preapproval. Review the host runtime's actual enforcement policy; runtime permissions are unknown unless separately verified, and this declaration alone does not establish a permission ceiling.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Code capability 'network' detected in scripts/patentmax_client.py but not covered by declared permissions.

High
Category
MCP Least Privilege
Confidence
75% confidence
Finding

The skill uses 'network' capability that is not covered by the declared 'allowed-tools' preapproval. Review the host runtime's actual enforcement policy; runtime permissions are unknown unless separately verified, and this declaration alone does not establish a permission ceiling.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

The tutorial sends the user's research topic to PatentMax without warning that the query is disclosed to an external service.

Medium
Category
Output Handling
Confidence
94% confidence
Finding

The workflow collects a topic the user cares about and immediately performs live searches using the topic and derived keywords. Although the file identifies PatentMax as the data source and discloses costs, it does not explain that the user's research terms will be transmitted to that service, which matters for confidential or unpublished invention ideas.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
50% 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 · references/api-reference.md (reported line 16)May include surrounding context.

bash
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $PATENTMAX_API_KEY" \
  "https://api.ip930.com/api/patent?pn=CN109761224A"

服务端自己完成内部寻址,这些前置调用不进用户账单。

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
50% 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 · references/api-reference.md (reported line 89)May include surrounding context.

bash
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $PATENTMAX_API_KEY" \
  "https://api.ip930.com/api/patent?pn=CN109761224A"

某一块上游取不到时,该字段为 null 并在 unavailable 里列出,其余照常返回;

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
50% 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 · references/api-reference.md (reported line 114)May include surrounding context.

bash
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $PATENTMAX_API_KEY" \
  "https://api.ip930.com/api/claims?pn=CN109761224A"

只要同时需要两块以上,就用 /api/patent——它一口价,拆开单买反而贵。

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
50% 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 · references/faq.md (reported line 35)May include surrounding context.

md
- **密钥复制不全。** 前后有没有多余空格、有没有漏掉尾部字符
- **少了 `Bearer ` 前缀。** 用 curl 时 header 必须是 `Authorization: Bearer pm_live_xxx`,只写密钥不行
- **密钥被撤销了。** 到 [控制台](https://api.ip930.com/features/api-platform)看状态

> 还有个容易踩的:如果请求里带了 `Authorization` 头,URL 上的 `?apikey=` 就不会被读取。两种方式选一种,别混用——带了一个格式错误的 header,正确的 URL 参数也会被忽略。

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
50% 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 · references/api-reference.md (reported line 48)May include surrounding context.

服务端直接返回上次的结果、不再扣费;同一个键换了参数会被拒(400);上一次还在处理中返回 409。

bash
curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $PATENTMAX_API_KEY" -H "Idempotency-Key: task42-search-1"   "https://api.ip930.com/api/search?q=%E6%B5%B8%E6%B2%A1%E5%BC%8F%E6%B6%B2%E5%86%B7&ds=cn&size=20"

网络超时、不确定上一次有没有成功时,用同一个键重发,不要换键。

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
50% 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 · references/api-reference.md (reported line 73)May include surrounding context.

curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $PATENTMAX_API_KEY"
--data-urlencode 'q=(固态电池 OR 全固态电池) AND 电解质'
--data-urlencode 'ds=all' --data-urlencode 'size=20'
-G "https://api.ip930.com/api/search"

text

> 检索式里有中文和括号,一定用 `--data-urlencode -G`,别手工拼 URL。

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
50% 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 · references/faq.md (reported line 41)May include surrounding context.

md
## 402 余额不足

到[控制台](https://api.ip930.com/features/api-platform)充值。

新账户的体验额度分两笔:注册送 ¥10,第一次调用成功后再送 ¥40。如果第二笔一直没到,确认第一次调用确实返回了 200——失败的调用不算。

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
50% 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 · references/faq.md (reported line 119)May include surrounding context.

md
## 花了多少钱

脚本每次返回都带 `_spent`(本次实扣)和 `_balance`(余额),**这两个数来自服务端,是真值**。
准确的流水到[控制台](https://api.ip930.com/features/api-platform)查。

| 调用 | 单价 |
| --- | --- |

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
50% 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 · references/tools.md (reported line 668)May include surrounding context.

试用用完、过期,或想用其他功能(查新、交底书等)时,命令会返回带 "free_trial": true 的错误,message 里写着下一步怎么办(注册 PatentMax 再送 ¥50 体验额度),原样转告用户,不要自己换写法重试。

用户有自己的密钥时用环境变量传,避免写进命令历史;设了就一律用它,不会领试用。密钥在 api.ip930.com 控制台创建:

bash
export PATENTMAX_API_KEY="pm_live_你的密钥"

The workflow submits user-derived technical search terms to a patent-search service without warning about disclosure of confidential invention details.

Medium
Category
Output Handling
Confidence
91% confidence
Finding

The workflow directs the agent to construct external searches from the user's technical object, mechanism, and distinguishing features without first checking whether those details are confidential or approved for disclosure. In a patent-search context, these inputs may describe unpublished inventions, so transmitting them could expose proprietary information to the search provider and its logs; the supplied file does not establish the provider's retention or confidentiality protections. External searching is legitimate for this tutorial, but that purpose does not necessarily authorize disclosure of sensitive invention details.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

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 · references/api-reference.md (reported line 124)May include surrounding context.

健康检查

bash
curl -s "https://api.ip930.com/api/v1/health"

不需要密钥,用来确认网络通不通。

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/patentmax_client.py (reported line 102)May include surrounding context.

python
# 设了 PATENTMAX_API_KEY 就一律用它,不会去领试用。
TRIAL_SOURCE = "patent-search-cn"
TRIAL_GROUP = "patent-search"
TRIAL_REGISTER_URL = "https://api.ip930.com/features/api-platform"
KEY_FROM_TRIAL = False

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/patentmax_client.py (reported line 296)May include surrounding context.

python
if _billing["balance_cents"] < 500 and not KEY_FROM_TRIAL:  # 试用用户不提醒,用完时服务端会给注册指引
            out["_balance_warning"] = (
                "余额不足 ¥5,继续批量检索会很快耗尽。"
                "请先提醒用户到 https://api.ip930.com/features/api-platform 充值。"
            )
    if _billing["free_quota"]:
        left = max(0, _billing["free_quota"] - (_billing["free_used"] or 0))

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/patentmax_client.py (reported line 357)May include surrounding context.

python
hint = {
            400: "参数有问题,检查必填项和取值范围。",
            401: "密钥无效或已撤销。确认 PATENTMAX_API_KEY 是 pm_live_ 或 pm_test_ 开头的完整密钥。",
            402: "余额不足。到 https://api.ip930.com/features/api-platform 充值。",
            403: "该密钥没有此接口的权限。",
            404: "没找到这篇专利。确认公开号正确且带国别代码,如 CN109761224A。",
            409: "同一个请求上一次还在处理中。等几秒重跑同一条命令即可,不会重复扣费。",

Tainted flow: 'path' from os.environ.get (line 154, credential/environment) → open (file write)

Medium
Category
Data Flow
Confidence
65% confidence
Finding

Data from a source is assigned to a variable that is later passed to a sink, creating a variable-mediated taint flow.

Content

Scanner excerpt · scripts/patentmax_client.py (reported line 157)May include surrounding context.

python
path = _trial_key_path()
    try:
        os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(path), exist_ok=True)
        with open(path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as fh:
            json.dump({
                "api_key": key,
                "expires_at": data.get("expires_at"),

Tainted flow: '_ledger_path()' from os.environ.get (line 461, credential/environment) → open (file write)

Medium
Category
Data Flow
Confidence
65% confidence
Finding

Data from a source is assigned to a variable that is later passed to a sink, creating a variable-mediated taint flow.

Content

Scanner excerpt · scripts/patentmax_client.py (reported line 477)May include surrounding context.

python
def _save_ledger(ledger):
    try:
        with open(_ledger_path(), "w", encoding="utf-8") as fh:
            json.dump(ledger, fh, ensure_ascii=False)
    except OSError:
        pass

Tainted flow: '_patent_cache_dir()' from os.environ.get (line 673, credential/environment) → open (file write)

Medium
Category
Data Flow
Confidence
97% confidence
Finding

The environment-configured directory is not the main problem: the filename incorporates a patent argument processed by _pn(), which removes spaces and uppercases text but permits absolute paths, separators, and '..'. A crafted argument can escape the task cache for JSON reads or writes under the process's permissions; reading occurs before server validation, and same_patent() strips punctuation rather than enforcing a safe filename.

Content

Scanner excerpt · scripts/patentmax_client.py (reported line 697)May include surrounding context.

python
return
    try:
        os.makedirs(_patent_cache_dir(), exist_ok=True)
        with open(os.path.join(_patent_cache_dir(), _pn(pn) + ".json"), "w", encoding="utf-8") as fh:
            json.dump(whole, fh, ensure_ascii=False)
    except OSError:
        pass

Tainted flow: 'path' from os.environ.get (line 858, credential/environment) → open (file write)

Medium
Category
Data Flow
Confidence
65% confidence
Finding

Data from a source is assigned to a variable that is later passed to a sink, creating a variable-mediated taint flow.

Content

Scanner excerpt · scripts/patentmax_client.py (reported line 861)May include surrounding context.

python
path = _session_path()
        os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(path), exist_ok=True)
        data["touched_at"] = time.time()
        with open(path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as fh:
            json.dump(data, fh, ensure_ascii=False)
    except Exception:
        pass

Static analysis

No suspicious patterns detected.