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Security audit

Thesis Topic Selector

Security checks for vulnerabilities and agentic risk

Overview

This is a prompt-only academic topic-selection skill with no code execution, data access, persistence, or hidden side effects.

Before installing, understand that this skill may be invoked for broad academic research-topic brainstorming. It is low risk from a security perspective because it is prompt-only and does not access files, credentials, networks, or persistent state.

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
Vulnerability Patterns
  • Trigger AbuseOverly Broad Trigger, Shadow Command Trigger, Keyword Baiting Trigger
  • 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
Findings (2)

Vague Triggers

Medium
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
95% confidence
Finding

The skill description is framed so broadly that it can trigger on common requests like finding research directions or exploring ideas in nearly any domain. Over-broad activation increases the chance the skill hijacks general conversations and injects its prescribed workflow when the user did not explicitly ask for this specialized behavior.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.

Vague Triggers

Medium
Category
Not specified by scanner
Confidence
93% confidence
Finding

The example trigger phrase is generic enough to overlap with ordinary academic-help requests, which can cause unintended invocation of the skill. In an agent setting, this kind of ambiguous trigger can degrade routing integrity and override better-matched skills or the base assistant behavior.

Content

No source excerpt is available for this finding.