T09 · Insecure Skill Coding Practices
- Location
scripts/submit_segment.py:36- Finding
Ark API Credential Exposed Through Process Command-Line Arguments
- Content
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Vulnerability Details
File Location:
scripts/submit_segment.py:36-50
Vulnerability Type: Sensitive credential exposure through subprocess arguments
Risk Level: MediumVulnerable Code
python def submit(payload: dict, api_key: str | None = None) -> dict: headers = ["-H", "Content-Type: application/json"] if api_key: headers += ["-H", f"Authorization: Bearer {api_key}"] cmd = [ "curl", "-sS", API_URL, *headers, "-d", json.dumps(payload, ensure_ascii=False), ] try: p = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True, check=False) if p.returncode != 0: return {"ok": False, "error": p.stderr.strip() or "curl failed"} return json.loads(p.stdout) except Exception as e: return {"ok": False, "error": str(e)}The same pattern is also present in
scripts/get_task_result.py:15-22:python def get_task(task_id: str, api_key: str | None = None) -> dict: headers = ["-H", "Content-Type: application/json"] if api_key: headers += ["-H", f"Authorization: Bearer {api_key}"] cmd = ["curl", "-sS", f"{API_BASE}/{task_id}", *headers] try: p = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True, check=False)Technical Analysis
Both functions interpolate the Ark API key into a curl command-line argument and then launch curl with
subprocess.run. Although the subprocess is invoked without a shell, which prevents conventional shell metacharacter injection, the bearer credential remains present in the child process argument vector.Depending on operating-system process visibility, container configuration, endpoint monitoring, audit logging, crash reporting, or process telemetry, another local process or administrative monitoring component may capture the full curl command line. This can disclose the bearer token.
Transmitting the credential t ...[truncated 1433 chars]
- Remediation
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Remediation Suggestions
- Replace the curl subprocess with a Python HTTPS client and place the Authorization header in the client's in-memory request structure.
- Preserve normal TLS certificate and hostname verification.
- If curl must be retained, supply sensitive configuration through a protected non-command-line channel, such as standard input with
curl --config -, while ensuring the input is never logged. - Never include authorization headers in errors, debug output, task results, or telemetry.
- Store configuration files containing API keys with restrictive permissions.
- Fail explicitly when no credential is available rather than sending an unauthenticated request and returning an ambiguous API response.
- Rotate the Ark API key after remediation if process arguments may already have been collected by monitoring systems.