T03 · Remote Payload Retrieval and Execution
- Location
SKILL.md:42- Finding
Unpinned Remote Payload Retrieval and Execution
- Content
View full analysis
Vulnerability Details
File Location:
SKILL.md, lines 42–47
Vulnerability Type: Remote, mutable code is retrieved and executed without integrity verification
Risk Level: Highbash git clone https://github.com/openclaw-skills/ai-intelligent-content-generation cd ai-intelligent-content-generation pip install -r requirements.txt python app.pyTechnical Analysis
The installation instructions clone a remote Git repository without pinning a commit, tag, or cryptographically verified release. They then install dependencies from the remotely supplied
requirements.txtand execute the remotely suppliedapp.py.Because neither the referenced implementation nor its dependency manifest is included in the audited artifact, their behavior cannot be verified. The effective payload may change after this Skill has been reviewed. If the repository, its maintainer account, or an upstream dependency is compromised, following these instructions could execute attacker-controlled code.
The
pip installstep can itself execute code through package build and installation hooks. The subsequentpython app.pycommand directly executes the cloned application. This creates two execution points for unverified remote content.Attack Path
- An attacker compromises the referenced repository, a maintainer account, or a dependency selected by its unpinned dependency manifest.
- The attacker modifies
requirements.txt, a dependency package,app.py, or another imported module to contain a malicious payload. - A user follows the installation instructions after the remote content has changed.
git cloneretrieves the attacker-controlled content without checking it against an audited commit or expected digest.pip install -r requirements.txtmay execute malicious package installation hooks.python app.pyexecutes the downloaded application under the user's account.- The payload can act with the i ...[truncated 803 chars]
- Remediation
View remediation
Remediation Suggestions
- Include the complete implementation and dependency metadata in the reviewed Skill package so that executable behavior is available during security review.
- Pin the source repository to a specific audited commit hash rather than cloning its mutable default branch.
- Distribute signed releases and verify the release signature and cryptographic digest before installation or execution.
- Pin every Python dependency to an exact reviewed version and use a lockfile containing hashes, such as hashes generated and enforced through
pip --require-hashes. - Review direct and transitive dependencies for dependency confusion, typosquatting, known vulnerabilities, and unexpected build hooks.
- Prefer prebuilt, provenance-verified artifacts and disable unnecessary source builds during dependency installation.
- Run installation and execution as a dedicated, unprivileged user inside an isolated virtual environment, container, or sandbox.
- Restrict filesystem, credential, and network access to only what the application requires.
- Add explicit verification steps to the documentation and fail closed if a commit, signature, or dependency hash does not match the reviewed value.
