skill-scanner

Name: skill-scanner Review
Item: skill-scanner
Rating: 3.2
Author: Aaron Matthews

Skill Security Usable

Works inClaude Code

Usable Scanned — metadata only

Reduces security risk from AI agent skill misuse by detecting dangerous capability patterns before deployment.

Security scanner for AI agent skills from Cisco AI Defense. Combines pattern-based detection (YAML + YARA rules), LLM-as-a-judge, and behavioral dataflow analysis to catch prompt injection, data exfiltration, and malicious code in skill files before you install them. Supports Codex and Cursor skill formats per the Agent Skills spec, scans Claude Code commands and flat markdown repos with --lenient, and ships SARIF output for CI/CD plus a pre-commit hook.

Flag skills with file system write/delete permissions before deployment
Detect skills requesting API keys or credential access patterns
Identify skills with excessive network permissions or data exfiltration risk

2,403 starsFreeQuick setup

Usable rating — This tool is functional but has notable gaps. Review the evaluation notes below before deploying.

Why it matters

Reduces security risk from AI agent skill misuse by detecting dangerous capability patterns before deployment. Prevents unauthorized data access, lateral movement, or system compromise through unvetted skill implementations.

Best for

Security teams and platform engineers vetting third-party or custom Claude skills before production rollout.

Works in

Claude Code Claude Cowork Claude Chat

Source

https://github.com/cisco-ai-defense/skill-scanner

By cisco-ai-defense

How to Get It

Option 1: Claude Desktop App (Code Mode)Click the + button next to the prompt box → Plugins → Add plugin. Search and click Install. Skills work in Claude Code only.

Option 2: Paste into Claude CodeCopy the command below and paste it into your conversation. Claude will install it.

Command

pip install cisco-ai-skill-scanner

Tip: Paste this into a Claude Code conversation. Verify command matches your Claude Code version.

First thing to try

After installing, paste this into Claude:

Help me flag skills with file system write/delete permissions before deployment

PrerequisitesPython 3.10+; optional LLM provider for LLM-as-a-judge analysis (install extras: bedrock, google, vertex, azure, or all)CostFree

Trust Signals Auto-scanned

Stars2,403Contributors41Last updated2026-08-04Known CVEsNone foundSources: GitHub Advisory Database + OSV.dev · Scanned 2026-08-12 · scanner vattempted-no-data

Community Pulse Active

Discussed on Hacker News, Reddit

Cisco AI Agent Skills Security Scanner — Hacker News · 3 pts
Cisco AI Defense Skill Scanner — Hacker News · 3 pts
Security Scanner for Agent Skills — Hacker News · 2 pts

3 mentions across 1 sources

Reviewer notes

Auto-scanned review. These are observations, not a security certification.

Scored from trust signals (evidence-eval-v1): 2,030 GitHub stars; contributors unknown; last commit 22d ago; license no license.

Things to check

Best-effort detection, not certification — the README states plainly that 'no findings' does not mean a skill is safe, coverage is inherently incomplete, and false positives/negatives occur. Cisco recommends pairing scans with human review and threat modeling for high-risk deployments. Python 3.10+ required.

How to evaluate tools before deploying →

Data shown here comes from public APIs and automated scanning. Reviewer notes reflect one person's experience. This is not a security certification or legal recommendation. Always evaluate tools according to your own organization's policies.

Evaluation Scores

Evaluation

Ease of Use

2/5

Versatility

5/5

Reliability

3/5

Security

3/5

Overall score3.15 / 5.00 UsableEvaluatedMay 2026

Scored from trust signals (evidence-eval-v1): 2,030 GitHub stars; contributors unknown; last commit 22d ago; license no license.

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