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Aloysius Chan
Aloysius Chan

Posted on • Originally published at insightginie.com

SkillGuard: Security Scanner for OpenClaw Skills

#news #insights #ginie #openclaw

What is SkillGuard?

SkillGuard is a security scanner designed specifically for OpenClaw skills. It
examines skills before installation to identify potential security threats
that could compromise your AI agent environment.

Why SkillGuard Matters

Traditional antivirus software often misses agent-specific attacks. SkillGuard
fills this gap by scanning for:

  • Malware and malicious code
  • Credential theft attempts
  • Data exfiltration techniques
  • Prompt injection vulnerabilities
  • Permission overreach

Key Features

Comprehensive Scanning

SkillGuard analyzes skill directories for multiple security risks:

  • Credential Access - Detects reading of config files, environment variables, wallet files, and API keys
  • Network Exfiltration - Identifies outbound HTTP calls, encoded payloads, and suspicious domains
  • File System Abuse - Catches path traversal, writes outside skill directories, and hidden files
  • Prompt Injection - Scans SKILL.md content that could manipulate agent behavior
  • Dependency Risks - Flags suspicious npm post-install scripts and known malicious packages
  • Obfuscation - Detects extremely long lines and hex/unicode escape sequences
  • Symlink Attacks - Identifies symlinks that could escape skill directories to access sensitive files
  • Config File Secrets - Finds hardcoded credentials in .json, .env, and .yaml files

How to Use SkillGuard

Basic Usage 

python3 scripts/skillguard.py scan ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/<skill-name>
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Advanced Options


# Scan with JSON output

python3 scripts/skillguard.py scan ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/<skill-name> --json


  
  
  Scan all installed skills




python3 scripts/skillguard.py scan-all



  
  
  Quick summary of all skills




python3 scripts/skillguard.py audit
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Understanding the Output

Each scan produces a detailed report including:

  • Risk Score : 0-100 scale (0 = clean, 100 = critical threat)
  • Verdict : PASS / WARN / FAIL status
  • Findings : Detailed list of issues with severity levels and evidence

Security Benefits

By implementing SkillGuard, you gain:

  • Proactive threat detection before skill installation
  • Protection against agent-specific attack vectors
  • Peace of mind when adding new skills to your OpenClaw environment
  • Compliance with security best practices

Getting Started

SkillGuard is included in the OpenClaw skills repository. Simply clone the
repository and run the scanner against your skills to ensure they meet
security standards before deployment.

Conclusion

In today's AI-driven environments, security cannot be an afterthought.
SkillGuard provides essential protection for OpenClaw skill ecosystems,
helping you maintain a secure and trustworthy AI agent platform.

Skill can be found at:
skillguard/SKILL.md>

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