Question 1

What is a skill?

Accepted Answer

A skill is a plugin or extension that adds new capabilities to your OpenClaw AI agent. Skills can do things like search the web, manage files, connect to APIs, or automate tasks. They're powerful tools that extend what your AI can do — but that power comes with risk if the skill is malicious.

Question 2

Why do I need to worry about skills?

Accepted Answer

Skills run with the same permissions as your AI agent, which often includes access to your files, network, and sensitive data. A malicious skill could steal your credentials, exfiltrate private information, install malware, or use your computer for attacks without your knowledge. Anyone can publish skills, so you can't assume they're all safe.

Question 3

Can a skill steal my data?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Malicious skills can access files on your computer, read environment variables containing API keys and passwords, capture keystrokes, take screenshots, and send all of this data to remote servers. Some skills disguise data theft as normal functionality, making it hard to detect without proper analysis.

Question 4

How do I know if a skill is safe?

Accepted Answer

That's exactly what Agent Trust Hub does. We analyze skills using AI-powered threat detection that checks for malicious patterns, data exfiltration attempts, suspicious network calls, and known security vulnerabilities. Enter a skill URL above and we'll tell you if it's risky to use.

Question 5

Who creates skills and can I trust them?

Accepted Answer

Anyone can create and publish skills. While many developers have good intentions, there's no built-in verification process. This means malicious actors can publish dangerous skills that look legitimate. Always scan skills before installing them, even if they have many downloads or positive reviews.

Question 6

What if I already installed a dangerous skill?

Accepted Answer

Remove the skill immediately and rotate any credentials (passwords, API keys) that may have been exposed. Check your system for unusual files or processes. If the skill had network access, monitor for unauthorized connections. Consider scanning your system for malware and reviewing recent file changes.

Question 7

Is my OpenClaw deployment secure?

Accepted Answer

Even safe skills can be dangerous if your OpenClaw is exposed to the internet. Attackers scan for open ports and vulnerable deployments constantly. Use our free port security scanner to check if your OpenClaw instance is properly secured and not accessible to unauthorized users.

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