T09 · Insecure Skill Coding Practices
- Location
scripts/planning_validator.py:21- Finding
Fail-Open Plan Validator Provides False Security Assurance
- Content
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Vulnerability Details
File Location:
scripts/planning_validator.py:21-44
Vulnerability Type: Ineffective validation and unconditional security approval
Risk Level: MediumVulnerable Code
python def validate_plan(self, plan_data): """Validate a plan structure""" errors = [] # Check required fields for field in self.required_fields: if field not in plan_data: errors.append(f"Missing required field: {field}") # Check tool availability for step in plan_data.get('steps', []): if 'tool' not in step: errors.append("Step missing tool field") return {'valid': len(errors) == 0, 'errors': errors} def check_reality(self, plan_data): """Check if plan is realistic""" return {'realistic': True, 'confidence': 0.95} def main(): parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Planning Validator") parser.add_argument("--plan", help="Plan JSON file") parser.add_argument("--test", action="store_true", help="Run tests") args = parser.parse_args() validator = PlanningValidator()Technical Analysis
The validator checks only whether top-level fields exist and whether each step contains a
toolkey. Despite the comment stating “Check tool availability,” it does not confirm that a named tool exists, supports the requested operation, or is authorized for the caller. It also does not validate input types, permissions, dependencies, execution constraints, or plan feasibility.The
check_reality()method unconditionally returnsrealistic: Truewith a fixed confidence of0.95, regardless of the supplied plan. This creates a fail-open security decision and reports unsupported confidence as if a substantive feasibility check had occurred.In addition, the command-line interface declares a
--planargument but does not open, parse, or validate the referenced JSON fil ...[truncated 1923 chars]- Remediation
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Remediation Suggestions
- Read the file supplied through
--plan, parse it withjson.load(), and return a nonzero exit status when reading, parsing, or validation fails. - Enforce a strict schema:
- Require the root value to be an object.
- Require
stepsandtoolsto be lists andgoalto be a nonempty string. - Require every step to be an object with a valid tool name and explicitly defined action.
- Reject unknown fields where appropriate.
- Resolve every requested tool and action against an authoritative capability registry rather than checking only for key presence.
- Verify required permissions, authentication state, dependencies, and resource constraints before approving a plan.
- Replace the unconditional
check_reality()result with evidence-based checks. Return an indeterminate or failed result when feasibility cannot be established. - Fail closed: missing registries, unavailable dependencies, malformed plans, unknown tools, and unverified permissions must prevent approval.
- Return structured evidence for each validation decision, including the check performed, its result, and the source of capability or permission information.
- Add tests covering malformed JSON, incorrect data types, unknown tools, unsupported actions, missing permissions, unavailable dependencies, excessive resource requests, and attempts to bypass checks using empty or deceptive values.
- Ensure downstream callers require successful results from every mandatory check rather than trusting a standalone boolean or fixed confidence score.
- Read the file supplied through