Openclaw-superpowers skill-vetting

Reviews a ClawHub skill's source code for security risks before installation. Use before installing any new skill.

install

source · Clone the upstream repo

git clone https://github.com/ArchieIndian/openclaw-superpowers

Claude Code · Install into ~/.claude/skills/

T=$(mktemp -d) && git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/ArchieIndian/openclaw-superpowers "$T" && mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -r "$T/skills/core/skill-vetting" ~/.claude/skills/archieindian-openclaw-superpowers-skill-vetting && rm -rf "$T"

OpenClaw · Install into ~/.openclaw/skills/

T=$(mktemp -d) && git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/ArchieIndian/openclaw-superpowers "$T" && mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/skills && cp -r "$T/skills/core/skill-vetting" ~/.openclaw/skills/archieindian-openclaw-superpowers-skill-vetting && rm -rf "$T"

manifest: skills/core/skill-vetting/SKILL.md

source content

Skill Vetting

~17% of ClawHub skills are malicious. Read before you install.

When to Use

Before installing any skill from ClawHub or an external source
When a skill requests unusual permissions or credentials

The Process

Step 1: Read the Source

Locate and read the skill's full

SKILL.md

and any scripts it references. Never install from a description alone.

Step 2: Check for Red Flags

Scan for each of these — flag any that are present:

Unknown network calls — does it POST to a non-obvious domain? (
```
curl
```
,
```
fetch
```
,
```
requests.post
```
)
Credential harvesting — does it read
```
~/.ssh
```
,
```
~/.env
```
, API key env vars, or keychain?
Filesystem writes outside expected paths — anything writing outside
```
~/.openclaw/
```
or the project dir?
Obfuscated code — base64-encoded payloads, eval of dynamic strings, minified one-liners
Excessive permissions — requesting tool access it doesn't need for its stated purpose
Unverifiable author — new account, no history, no linked repo

Step 3: Verdict

0 flags → safe to install
1–2 flags → install with caution; note which flags and monitor
3+ flags → do not install; tell the user why

Step 4: Report

State your verdict clearly before any install proceeds:

"Vetted
[skill-name]
: [0/1/2/3] flags. [Safe to install / Install with caution / Do not install]. Flags: [list]."

Key Principles

Never skip vetting because a skill is popular or highly downloaded
A skill that "just reads" can still exfiltrate data via network calls
If source code is unavailable or obfuscated, that itself is a flag