T01 · Skill Instruction Hijacking
- Location
SKILL.md:34- Finding
Overbroad Forced Skill Activation and Tool-Selection Override
- Content
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Vulnerability Details
File Location:
SKILL.md, lines 34-37
Vulnerability Type: T01: Skill Instruction Hijacking
Risk Level: HighVulnerable Code
markdown **Mandatory activation rules:** - When the user mentions any keyword such as "cron," "scheduled," "reminder," or "scheduling," prioritize this skill. - When the delay described by the user exceeds one minute, prohibit the use of `act:wait` and require cron instead. - When the user requests a specific time, daily execution, weekly execution, or similar scheduling, enter cron mode by default.Technical Analysis
The skill claims priority whenever broad and potentially ambiguous scheduling-related keywords appear. It also prohibits an alternative tool and requires cron for delays longer than one minute. These instructions modify the Agent's general skill-selection and tool-selection behavior instead of limiting themselves to cases where the user has clearly requested creation of a persistent scheduled task.
The forced activation rules can override context-sensitive decision-making. A request that merely discusses cron, reminders, or scheduling could activate the skill even when the user only wants documentation, troubleshooting advice, or a comparison of approaches.
Attack Path
- The skill is loaded into the Agent's active instruction context.
- A user request contains one of the broad trigger words, including a request that does not authorize task creation.
- The mandatory activation rule gives this skill priority.
- The instruction prohibiting
act:waitconstrains normal tool selection. - The Agent may enter cron mode or create a scheduled task without sufficiently validating the user's actual intent.
Impact Assessment
The issue can redirect the current Agent session and cause inappropriate use of scheduler functionality. If task creation is available, the resulting scope includes persistent Agent-platform jobs, futur ...[truncated 163 chars]
- Remediation
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Remediation Suggestions
- Replace mandatory activation and prohibition language with conditional recommendations.
- Distinguish task creation from informational, diagnostic, and hypothetical requests.
- Require explicit user authorization before creating any one-time or recurring scheduled task.
- Preserve higher-priority Agent policies and allow the Agent to choose the safest suitable tool.
- Confirm the schedule, timezone, target channel, recipient, recurrence, and deletion behavior before task creation.
- Use language such as: “Use cron when the user explicitly requests asynchronous scheduling and confirms the task parameters.”
