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Security audit

Philips Hue Thinking Indicator

Security checks for vulnerabilities and agentic risk

Overview

This skill is a disclosed Philips Hue light indicator; it has some setup and credential-handling cautions but no artifact-backed malicious behavior.

Install only if you intend to let the assistant control a chosen Hue light. Protect the Hue config file because the username can control lights on your local network, prefer a user-owned PATH install over sudo where possible, and review any shell hook or automatic invocation before adding it to your profile.

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
  • Excessive AgencyUnrestricted Tool Access, Autonomous Decision Making, Scope Creep
  • Trigger AbuseOverly Broad Trigger, Shadow Command Trigger, Keyword Baiting Trigger
  • MCP Least PrivilegeUnderdeclared Capability, Wildcard Permission, Missing Permission Declaration
Findings (11)

Tp4

High
Category
MCP Tool Poisoning
Confidence
95% confidence
Finding

The description frames the skill as a simple light-status indicator, but the documented behavior also includes bridge setup, network discovery/connection, and creation of a Hue API user. That is a meaningful expansion of capability into authentication and local-network interaction, which can mislead users and agents about the true security-sensitive actions the skill performs.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Autonomous Decision Making

Medium
Category
Excessive Agency
Confidence
75% confidence
Finding

Skill enables autonomous high-impact decisions without human-in-the-loop verification. Critical operations (destructive commands, financial transactions, data deletion) should require explicit user confirmation.

Content

Scanner excerpt · README.md (reported line 23)May include surrounding context.

md
## Why Use This?

- **Ambient awareness** — Know when your AI is working without checking screens
- **Flow state protection** — Visual indicator prevents interruptions during deep work  
- **Satisfying completion** — Green light signals "ready for next task"
- **Conversation starter** — "My AI has a physical presence in my house"

Autonomous Decision Making

Medium
Category
Excessive Agency
Confidence
75% confidence
Finding

Skill enables autonomous high-impact decisions without human-in-the-loop verification. Critical operations (destructive commands, financial transactions, data deletion) should require explicit user confirmation.

Content

Scanner excerpt · SKILL.md (reported line 26)May include surrounding context.

md
## Why Use This?

- **Ambient awareness** — Know when your AI is working without checking screens
- **Flow state protection** — Visual indicator prevents interruptions during deep work  
- **Satisfying completion** — Green light signals "ready for next task"
- **Conversation starter** — "My AI has a physical presence in my house"

Sudo/Root Execution

Medium
Category
Privilege Escalation
Confidence
70% confidence
Finding

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

Content

Scanner excerpt · README.md (reported line 66)May include surrounding context.

md
cd philips-hue-thinking

# Add to PATH
sudo cp hue /usr/local/bin/
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/hue

# Or add to your shell profile

Sudo/Root Execution

Medium
Category
Privilege Escalation
Confidence
70% confidence
Finding

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

Content

Scanner excerpt · README.md (reported line 67)May include surrounding context.

md
cd philips-hue-thinking

# Add to PATH
sudo cp hue /usr/local/bin/
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/hue

# Or add to your shell profile

Vague Triggers

Medium
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
95% confidence
Finding

The README says the assistant will 'automatically' use the skill during long tasks but does not define explicit user-consent, trigger conditions, or scope limits. That can lead to unreviewed command execution in agent contexts, increasing the chance of unintended device actions or abuse if an attacker can influence prompts or workflows.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Undeclared Tool Scope

Medium
Category
MCP Least Privilege
Confidence
91% confidence
Finding

The skill clearly instructs the agent/user to execute shell commands (git clone, cp, chmod, source, and hue ...) yet the manifest does not declare any tool scope or allowed-tools boundary. That omission weakens reviewability and policy enforcement, making it easier for an agent to invoke shell actions without explicit consent or least-privilege constraints.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Confidence
70% 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 · quick-setup.sh (reported line 3)May include surrounding context.

sh
#!/bin/bash
# Quick Hue setup - run this AFTER pressing the bridge button
curl -X POST http://192.168.1.151/api -d '{"devicetype":"clawdbot#hue"}'

Missing User Warnings

Low
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
92% confidence
Finding

The README shows that bridge IP and API username are stored in a local config file, but it does not clearly warn users that these are sensitive connection details. While not a secret on the level of a password in all contexts, exposing or mishandling the API username can allow unauthorized control of Hue devices on the local network.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Missing User Warnings

Low
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
82% confidence
Finding

The README documents storing a Hue API username in ~/.config/philips-hue/config.json but does not warn that this value is a credential for controlling smart-home devices. Users may treat it as harmless metadata, leading to insecure file permissions, accidental sharing, or inclusion in backups/repos that expose control of the Hue bridge.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Missing User Warnings

Low
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
95% confidence
Finding

The script appends a user-specific directory to PATH in a shell startup context, which changes command resolution for the entire shell session without warning or validation. This can cause unintended execution of binaries from that directory, and if that location is writable or later compromised, common commands or the hue command could be hijacked persistently.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Static analysis

No suspicious patterns detected.