How do I install the Repo Scrub skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add benchflow-ai/repo-scrub in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Repo Scrub safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Repo Scrub?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Repo Scrub free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Repo Scrub?

benchflow-ai (@benchflow-ai) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Repo Scrub by benchflow-ai — Agent Skill

Name: Repo Scrub
Author: benchflow-ai

Repo Scrub

Scan a git repository for leaked secrets and env keys, a missing LICENSE, and unclear authorship (bot or non-employee committers), then optionally fix the safe parts. Reports secret matches with values redacted, .env files tracked or untracked, secrets found in git history, license presence, and committer domains. With --fix it untracks .env, adds it to .gitignore, writes a values-blanked .env.example, and scaffolds a LICENSE; --redact-code also replaces secrets found in tracked source. Never rewrites git history automatically — it prints the command instead. Use before publishing, open-sourcing, transferring, or sharing a repository, or when asked to find leaked keys, add a license, or check IP hygiene. Trigger phrases: 'scan for secrets', 'is there an API key in this repo', 'check before open-sourcing', 'add a license', 'clean this repo before sharing'.

benchflow-ai ae95712 3 files · 24.1 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026 6 repo stars

File contents

Repo scrub

Find what shouldn't leave the repository, and fix the safe parts. Catches the problems that most often surface too late: a key committed to .env, no LICENSE, and unclear authorship.

Two passes. Run it on your own repository before publishing or transferring it — it is offline (git + regex, no network). Run it again on any repository you receive, since you can't verify someone else's scrub.

Workflow

Scan first (report only):
```
python3 scripts/scrub_repo.py /path/to/repo
```
Reports secrets in tracked files (redacted, with file:line), .env files, git-history leak hits, LICENSE presence, and bot/suspect committers.
Rotate any leaked key first — a human step the tool can't do. Assume anything found is compromised and rotate it at the provider before touching the repository.
Apply the safe fixes:
```
python3 scripts/scrub_repo.py /path/to/repo --fix --license MIT --owner "Your Name"
```
Untracks .env, adds .env/.env.* to .gitignore, writes a values-blanked .env.example, and scaffolds a LICENSE if missing. Add --redact-code to also replace secrets found in tracked source with REDACTED_SECRET in the working tree (review the diff before committing).
History leaks are reported, never auto-rewritten — that's destructive and needs a force-push. The scan prints the exact git filter-repo command; run it deliberately, after rotating the key.
Authorship — for bot or non-employee committers (CI bots, test@example.com, agent accounts), confirm the code's provenance is what you think it is.

Safety

Never commits secrets, never force-pushes, never rewrites history on its own.
--fix only untracks/ignores .env, writes .env.example, and adds a LICENSE. --redact-code edits the working tree only — nothing is committed.
License scaffolds are stubs (the proprietary one is complete; MIT/Apache are pointers) — confirm the choice yourself; picking a license is not the tool's call.

---name: repo-scrubdescription: Scan a git repository for leaked secrets and env keys, a missing LICENSE, and unclear authorship (bot or non-employee committers), then optionally fix the safe parts. Reports secret matches with values redacted, .env files tracked or untracked, secrets found in git history, license presence, and committer domains. With --fix it untracks .env, adds it to .gitignore, writes a values-blanked .env.example, and scaffolds a LICENSE; --redact-code also replaces secrets found in tracked source. Never rewrites git history automatically — it prints the command instead. Use before publishing, open-sourcing, transferring, or sharing a repository, or when asked to find leaked keys, add a license, or check IP hygiene. Trigger phrases: 'scan for secrets', 'is there an API key in this repo', 'check before open-sourcing', 'add a license', 'clean this repo before sharing'.---# Repo scrubFind what shouldn't leave the repository, and fix the safe parts. Catches the problems that mostoften surface too late: a key committed to `.env`, no LICENSE, and unclear authorship.**Two passes.** Run it on your own repository *before* publishing or transferring it — it isoffline (git + regex, no network). Run it again on any repository you receive, since you can'tverify someone else's scrub.## Workflow1. **Scan first** (report only): ```bash python3 scripts/scrub_repo.py /path/to/repo ``` Reports secrets in tracked files (redacted, with file:line), `.env` files, git-history leak hits, LICENSE presence, and bot/suspect committers.2. **Rotate any leaked key first** — a human step the tool can't do. Assume anything found is compromised and rotate it at the provider before touching the repository.3. **Apply the safe fixes**: ```bash python3 scripts/scrub_repo.py /path/to/repo --fix --license MIT --owner "Your Name" ``` Untracks `.env`, adds `.env`/`.env.*` to `.gitignore`, writes a values-blanked `.env.example`, and scaffolds a LICENSE if missing. Add `--redact-code` to also replace secrets found in tracked source with `REDACTED_SECRET` in the working tree (review the diff before committing).4. **History leaks are reported, never auto-rewritten** — that's destructive and needs a force-push. The scan prints the exact `git filter-repo` command; run it deliberately, after rotating the key.5. **Authorship** — for bot or non-employee committers (CI bots, `test@example.com`, agent accounts), confirm the code's provenance is what you think it is.## Safety- Never commits secrets, never force-pushes, never rewrites history on its own.- `--fix` only untracks/ignores `.env`, writes `.env.example`, and adds a LICENSE. `--redact-code` edits the working tree only — nothing is committed.- License scaffolds are stubs (the proprietary one is complete; MIT/Apache are pointers) — confirm the choice yourself; picking a license is not the tool's call.

Frequently asked questions