T09 · Insecure Skill Coding Practices
Note
- Location
scripts/free-models.js:12- Finding
Unnecessary Collection and Requirement of an OpenRouter API Key
- Content
View full analysis
- Remediation
View remediation
Security audit
Free Models for OpenClaw and other Agents
Security checks for vulnerabilities and agentic risk
Overview
The skill mostly does what it claims, but it unnecessarily asks for and reads an OpenRouter API key that its code does not use.
Review before installing. The model discovery functionality is straightforward, but do not provide a live OpenRouter API key to this version unless you are comfortable with unnecessary credential exposure to the Node.js process. Prefer a version that removes the key requirement or clearly uses and scopes the key for authenticated functionality.
Vulnerability Patterns
- Insecure Skill Coding PracticesFinds exploitable flaws such as hardcoded secrets or command injection
- 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
Findings (1)
Vulnerability Patterns
- Data ExfiltrationExternal Transmission, Env Variable Harvesting, File System Enumeration
- System Prompt LeakageDirect Leakage, Indirect Extraction, Tool-Based Exfiltration
- MCP Tool PoisoningHidden Instructions, Unicode Deception, Parameter Description Injection
- Prompt InjectionInstruction Override, Hidden Instructions, Exfiltration Commands
- Privilege EscalationExcessive Permissions, Sudo/Root Execution, Credential Access
Findings (7)
Ae1
High
- Category
- analysis-evasion
- Confidence
- 100% confidence
- Finding
Referenced artifact was not completely inspected
- Content
md import { discoverFreeModels } from './scripts/free-models.js';
Ae1
High
- Category
- analysis-evasion
- Confidence
- 100% confidence
- Finding
Referenced artifact was not completely inspected
- Content
md import { discoverFreeModels } from './scripts/free-models.js';
Ae1
High
- Category
- analysis-evasion
- Confidence
- 100% confidence
- Finding
Referenced artifact was not completely inspected
- Content
md import { discoverFreeModels } from './scripts/free-models.js';
Ae1
High
- Category
- analysis-evasion
- Confidence
- 100% confidence
- Finding
Referenced artifact was not completely inspected
- Content
md import { discoverFreeModels } from './scripts/free-models.js';
Direct Prompt Extraction
High
- Category
- System Prompt Leakage
- Confidence
- 85% confidence
- Finding
Skill contains instructions that could directly expose system prompts, internal rules, or hidden instructions to users or external parties.
- Content
js const models = await fetchAllModels(); return models.filter((m) => { const promptPrice = parseFloat(m.pricing.prompt); return promptPrice === 0 || promptPrice < 0.0001; }); }
Missing User Warnings
Low
- Category
- Not specified by scanner
- Confidence
- 91% confidence
- Finding
The README explicitly instructs users to place a live OpenRouter API key into an environment variable but gives no guidance on secure handling, scoping, rotation, or avoiding accidental disclosure in shell history, logs, screenshots, or shared environments. While using environment variables is common practice, documenting secret setup without basic safety warnings can lead to inadvertent credential exposure and downstream account misuse.
- Content
Intent-Code Divergence
Low
- Category
- Not specified by scanner
- Confidence
- 96% confidence
- Finding
The header comment and CLI check state that OPENROUTER_API_KEY is required, implying authenticated API usage. However, fetchAllModels performs an unauthenticated fetch to the models endpoint and no authorization header or API-key-based behavior appears anywhere in the code, so the documentation actively misstates what the code needs to do its core work.
- Content