say

• Outcome: Pass
• Latest audit: May 28, 2026 · 11:13 AM UTC
• Version: 1.0.2

Overview

This is an instruction-only macOS text-to-speech skill whose persistent language-setting examples are visible and purpose-aligned, though users should understand they can affect later speech output.

Install is reasonable if you want macOS text-to-speech examples. Before using the Siri Natural Voice language examples, note your current speech language or be prepared to switch it back, because `defaults write` changes a persistent macOS speech preference rather than only one command invocation.

SkillSpector

By NVIDIA

Vulnerability Patterns

• Rogue Agent: Self-Modification, Session Persistence
• Prompt Injection: Instruction Override, Hidden Instructions, Exfiltration Commands
• Data Exfiltration: External Transmission, Env Variable Harvesting, File System Enumeration
• Privilege Escalation: Excessive Permissions, Sudo/Root Execution, Credential Access
• Supply Chain: Unpinned Dependencies, External Script Fetching, Obfuscated Code

Findings (5)

Missing User Warnings

Medium

• Confidence: 92% confidence
• Finding: The documentation instructs users to run `defaults write` against `com.apple.speech.voice.prefs SystemTTSLanguage`, which changes a persistent macOS preference rather than a one-shot runtime option. This can silently alter later system/app TTS behavior beyond the immediate task, and the skill does not prominently warn that the setting persists or advise restoring the prior value.

Session Persistence

Medium

• Category: Rogue Agent

Content

## Siri Natural Voices (recommended)

Siri voices are the best macOS TTS voices but **cannot be selected via `-v`**. Instead, run `say` without `-v` — it uses the system default voice. Switch languages via `defaults write`:

```bash
# Switch to German

• Confidence: 91% confidence
• Finding: This finding is valid because the skill recommends using `defaults write` as part of normal operation, which persists changes across sessions. In a skill context, persistence is more dangerous than a transient command because users may not realize later speech output behavior has been modified globally.

Session Persistence

Medium

• Category: Rogue Agent

Content

```bash
# Switch to German
defaults write com.apple.speech.voice.prefs SystemTTSLanguage -string "de"
say "Hallo, wie geht's?" -o output_de.aiff

# Switch to Chinese (Mandarin)

• Confidence: 95% confidence
• Finding: The command `defaults write com.apple.speech.voice.prefs SystemTTSLanguage -string "de"` directly changes a persistent macOS setting. Although not obviously malicious, it modifies user environment state outside the immediate command and can create confusing or unwanted lasting behavior.

Session Persistence

Medium

• Category: Rogue Agent

Content

say "Hallo, wie geht's?" -o output_de.aiff

# Switch to Chinese (Mandarin)
defaults write com.apple.speech.voice.prefs SystemTTSLanguage -string "cmn"
say "你好，世界" -o output_zh.aiff
```

• Confidence: 95% confidence
• Finding: The Mandarin example repeats the same persistence issue by writing a new global/system preference value. Recommending repeated `defaults write` operations without cleanup guidance increases the chance the user's environment remains altered after the task finishes.

Session Persistence

Medium

• Category: Rogue Agent

Content

- `say` adds natural pauses at punctuation — no manual sentence splitting needed
- AIFF is the native output format; convert with ffmpeg for WAV/MP3
- For batch generation: set language once, generate all clips, then switch — minimizes `defaults write` calls

• Confidence: 88% confidence
• Finding: This note normalizes batching around repeated `defaults write` calls, reinforcing a workflow based on persistent configuration changes without emphasizing user consent or restoration. The line itself is less severe than the concrete commands, but it still encourages session-persistent state changes as routine behavior.

VirusTotal

64/64 vendors flagged this skill as clean.

Static analysis

No suspicious patterns detected.