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Security audit

Tavily Search Local

Security checks for vulnerabilities and agentic risk

Overview

This skill is a straightforward Tavily web-search helper that sends user-provided searches or URLs to Tavily using the user's Tavily API key.

Install this only if you are comfortable sending your search queries or provided URLs, along with a Tavily API key, to Tavily's API. Avoid using it for highly sensitive queries unless that is acceptable under your Tavily account and data-handling expectations.

A.I.G

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

SkillSpector

Vulnerability Patterns
  • Data ExfiltrationExternal Transmission, Env Variable Harvesting, File System Enumeration
  • MCP Least PrivilegeUnderdeclared Capability, Wildcard Permission, Missing Permission Declaration
  • Prompt InjectionInstruction Override, Hidden Instructions, Exfiltration Commands
  • Privilege EscalationExcessive Permissions, Sudo/Root Execution, Credential Access
  • Supply ChainUnpinned Dependencies, External Script Fetching, Obfuscated Code
Findings (7)

Lp3

Medium
Category
MCP Least Privilege
Confidence
87% confidence
Finding
The skill invokes Node scripts that require both network access and an API key from the environment, but it does not declare any explicit tool scope such as permissions or allowed-tools. This creates a least-privilege gap: a host agent may grant broader capabilities than users expect, making it easier for the skill to access network and secrets without transparent policy controls.

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Content
process.exit(1);
}

const resp = await fetch("https://api.tavily.com/extract", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
Confidence
60% confidence
Finding
Data is being sent to an external URL. This could be legitimate telemetry or data exfiltration. Manual review is recommended.

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Content
process.exit(1);
}

const resp = await fetch("https://api.tavily.com/extract", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
Confidence
50% confidence
Finding
Data is being sent to an external URL. This could be legitimate telemetry or data exfiltration. Manual review is recommended.

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Content
process.exit(1);
}

const resp = await fetch("https://api.tavily.com/extract", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
Confidence
50% confidence
Finding
Data is being sent to an external URL. This could be legitimate telemetry or data exfiltration. Manual review is recommended.

Missing User Warnings

Medium
Confidence
93% confidence
Finding
This code posts the provided URLs and the TAVILY_API_KEY to api.tavily.com, which transmits user-supplied data and credentials to an external service. Although the purpose is somewhat implied by the endpoint name, the script provides no confirmation prompt, disclosure message, or inline warning explaining that supplied URLs will be sent off-system.

Missing User Warnings

Medium
Confidence
92% confidence
Finding
This code constructs a request body containing the user's query and an API credential, then sends it to the Tavily API. Although the script's purpose is search, there is no user-facing warning, log message, or comment disclosing that the query will be sent to a third-party service.

External Transmission

Medium
Category
Data Exfiltration
Content
body.days = days;
}

const resp = await fetch("https://api.tavily.com/search", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
Confidence
60% confidence
Finding
Data is being sent to an external URL. This could be legitimate telemetry or data exfiltration. Manual review is recommended.

Static analysis

No suspicious patterns detected.