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Security audit

Google News API - Headlines by Keyword, Topic, Publication

Security checks for vulnerabilities and agentic risk

Overview

This skill is a straightforward Google News API helper that sends user news queries to Scavio with a user-provided API key.

Install only if you are comfortable using Scavio as a third-party service: your news queries and locale parameters are sent to Scavio, each request uses credits, and the API key should be kept in an environment variable or secret store rather than source code.

A.I.G

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

SkillSpector

Vulnerability Patterns
  • Data ExfiltrationExternal Transmission, Env Variable Harvesting, File System Enumeration
  • Prompt InjectionInstruction Override, Hidden Instructions, Exfiltration Commands
  • Privilege EscalationExcessive Permissions, Sudo/Root Execution, Credential Access
  • Supply ChainUnpinned Dependencies, External Script Fetching, Obfuscated Code
  • Excessive AgencyUnrestricted Tool Access, Autonomous Decision Making, Scope Creep
Findings (4)

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 · SKILL.md (reported line 57)May include surrounding context.

Endpoint

text
POST https://api.scavio.dev/api/v2/google/news
Authorization: Bearer $SCAVIO_API_KEY

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 · SKILL.md (reported line 95)May include surrounding context.

Endpoint

text
POST https://api.scavio.dev/api/v2/google/news
Authorization: Bearer $SCAVIO_API_KEY

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 · SKILL.md (reported line 94)May include surrounding context.

md
# store in real code - keep it out of source control.
API_KEY = "sk_your_key_here"

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.scavio.dev/api/v2/google/news",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}"},
    json={"query": "openai", "gl": "us", "hl": "en", "so": 1},

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 · SKILL.md (reported line 94)May include surrounding context.

md
# store in real code - keep it out of source control.
API_KEY = "sk_your_key_here"

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.scavio.dev/api/v2/google/news",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}"},
    json={"query": "openai", "gl": "us", "hl": "en", "so": 1},

Static analysis

Detected: suspicious.exposed_secret_literal

File appears to expose a hardcoded API secret or token.

Critical
Code
suspicious.exposed_secret_literal
Location
SKILL.md:37