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Security audit

ai-paper-researcher

Security checks across malware telemetry and agentic risk

Overview

This skill does what it says: it searches arXiv, downloads selected PDFs, and keeps a local CSV library, with ordinary file-writing and dependency risks users should understand.

Install it only if you want an agent to download arXiv PDFs and maintain a local paper history. Use an isolated Python environment, review the candidate papers before download if storage or privacy matters, and periodically inspect or clear paper_list.csv if you do not want downloaded-paper history retained.

SkillSpector

By NVIDIA
Vulnerability Patterns
  • Prompt InjectionInstruction Override, Hidden Instructions, Exfiltration Commands
  • Data ExfiltrationExternal Transmission, Env Variable Harvesting, File System Enumeration
  • 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 (3)

Missing User Warnings

Medium
Confidence
88% confidence
Finding
The README explicitly advertises that the skill 'silently downloads PDFs' and logs data into a local CSV, but it does not clearly warn users that invoking the skill will automatically write files into the workspace. In an agent setting, automatic filesystem writes triggered by natural-language requests can create unwanted persistence, consume storage, and reduce user awareness and consent around side effects.

Missing User Warnings

Medium
Confidence
89% confidence
Finding
The skill explicitly automates PDF downloads and local file management, which implies persistent writes into the user's workspace, but it never warns the user that files and tracking data will be created or modified locally. This is dangerous because an agent may perform filesystem-changing actions under a seemingly informational research task, surprising the user and creating unwanted files, storage usage, or privacy-sensitive paper history records.

Missing User Warnings

Medium
Confidence
93% confidence
Finding
The download workflow directs the agent to execute `python arxiv_tool.py download [arxiv_id]` for each paper, which performs persistent local writes, yet the user is not explicitly warned that files will be downloaded and saved. In this context, the skill's deduplication CSV and automated batch downloads increase the chance of silent accumulation of files and metadata, making the behavior more dangerous than a one-off manual download.

VirusTotal

66/66 vendors flagged this skill as clean.

View on VirusTotal

Static analysis

No suspicious patterns detected.