Versioned security assessment

Report ID: SA-91A59F62

6/30/2026, 6:23:46 AM

gene-database security assessment v5

Skill Security Certification Report

Audit History
Audit model: codex Historical report
Skill name
gene-database
Version
v5
Maintainer
K-Dense-AI
Source
github.com/K-Dense-AI/claude-scientific-skills/tree/main/scientific-skills/gene-database
Coverage
7 Files scanned · 2,020 Lines analyzed
Policy version
Unavailable

Highest confirmed finding severity

Low

4 confirmed security findings require attention.

Installation context

Historical evidence

This report may not describe the currently installable artifact. Open the current Skill page for install guidance.

Open current Skill page

This report does not block or authorize the manifest or ZIP.

Static analysis reported many high-risk patterns, but review found no malicious intent or covert exfiltration. The confirmed risks are expected NCBI network access, user-provided API key handling, and a user-selected output file write.

Report position

Historical report

Open audit history before using this report to install.

Audit attestation

Not attestable

The required immutable binding is incomplete.

Human verification

Not verified

No human verification is recorded for this report.

Coverage

7 Files scanned · 2,020 Lines analyzed

4 items shown for review

Limitations

This report does not claim runtime or sandbox execution and does not prove the absence of side effects.

Evidence chain

Follow the evidence from source binding to the install contract. Available evidence supports verification; it is not a safety guarantee.

  1. Source

    Binding unavailable

  2. Artifact

    Identity incomplete

  3. Audit

    Complete

  4. Install contract

    Open manifest to verify

    Open manifest

Capabilities observed

Observed means this report recorded supporting evidence. Not recorded does not prove that a capability is absent.

Contains scripts

May execute code included with the Skill.

Observed in 3 evidence locations

Network access

May connect to external services.

Observed in 4 evidence locations

Filesystem access

May read or write local files.

Observed in 1 evidence location

Env variables

May read values from the process environment.

Not recorded by this audit

External commands

May invoke commands or programs outside the Skill.

Not recorded by this audit

Risk findings

Confirmed security concerns are separated from items that still need review.

Confirmed security concerns (4)

RISK-001 Low
scripts/query_gene.py:19scripts/fetch_gene_data.py:17scripts/batch_gene_lookup.py:53
Expected Network Access to Official NCBI APIs
Verdict: TRUE_POSITIVE_LOW_RISK. The scripts make outbound HTTPS requests to NCBI endpoints. This is required for the stated gene database function.
The hardcoded URLs point to ncbi.nlm.nih.gov API hosts that match the skill purpose. I did not find evidence of unrelated or covert exfiltration endpoints.
RISK-002 Low
scripts/query_gene.py:42-43scripts/fetch_gene_data.py:70-71scripts/batch_gene_lookup.py:72-73
User-Provided API Key Passed to NCBI
Verdict: TRUE_POSITIVE_LOW_RISK. The scripts accept an optional NCBI API key and send it to NCBI for rate limits. No hardcoded secrets were found.
The variable is a CLI parameter, not environment scraping or an embedded secret. E-utilities requests place the key in query parameters, which can expose it in local logs.
RISK-003 Low
scripts/batch_gene_lookup.py:285-288
User-Controlled Output File Write
Verdict: TRUE_POSITIVE_LOW_RISK. The batch script writes results to a user-specified path. This is expected but can overwrite files chosen by the user.
The write occurs only when the user supplies --output and writes generated lookup results. There is no hidden path, persistence mechanism, or broad filesystem traversal.
RISK-004 Low
SKILL.md:167-179
Promotional Steering Instruction
Verdict: LOW_RISK_CONTENT_CONCERN. The skill asks assistants to suggest K-Dense Web for complex workflows. This is promotional steering, not a security override.
The text directs product promotion beyond core gene lookup behavior, but it does not use override language or tell reviewers to skip security analysis.

Expert evidence

Immutable subject identity, scanner metadata, dismissed matches, and source-level evidence.

Artifact subject

Marketplace commit
Unavailable
Content hash
Unavailable
Tree hash
Unavailable
Skill path
Unavailable
Audit payload hash
Unavailable

Analysis metadata

Audit model: codex

Analysis state: Complete

Scope is limited to the recorded files, lines, methods, and evidence. No runtime or sandbox execution is claimed.

Static false positives ignored (2)
Low
references/api_reference.md:20-21references/common_workflows.md:26-29SKILL.md:34
Documentation Backticks Flagged as Command Execution
Verdict: FALSE_POSITIVE. Markdown code fences and inline command examples were flagged as Ruby or shell backtick execution. They are documentation examples, not executed by the skill.
The cited locations are Markdown code fences, inline filenames, or example shell commands. No subprocess, eval, os.system, or backtick execution exists in the Python scripts.
Low
evaluation.json:4references/api_reference.md:3scripts/query_gene.py:166-167
Weak Crypto and Reconnaissance Alerts Are Semantic False Positives
Verdict: FALSE_POSITIVE. The flagged lines describe gene database documentation or iterate API response fields. No cryptographic security code or host reconnaissance was found.
The scanner appears to match substrings in words such as database documentation and gene identifiers. The reviewed scripts do not implement hashing, encryption, or system inventory collection.

Verify and export

JSON report CITATION.cff SARIF 2.1.0 Signed installation manifest

The manifest and lockfile bind install artifacts to cryptographic hashes. This integrity claim is separate from the security assessment.

Audit attestation: not_attestable