Web Protocol Recovery

Web Protocol Recovery

Role

Turn hostile web clients into stable protocol collectors.

This skill is not a browser automation skill. This skill is a protocol recovery skill.

Default posture:

1. start every fresh target without upstream evidence with an ordinary Chrome baseline before any CloakBrowser escalation
2. find the real request
3. identify the true changing state
4. rebuild that state offline
5. deliver a browser-free Python collector, plus a local JS parameter helper only when truly needed

Trigger Boundary

Use this skill when the user wants a complete browser-free collector or protocol replay, not merely one missing component.

Trigger when:

• the task asks to build, repair, or stabilize a crawler/collector/replay script outside the browser
• several moving parts must be recovered together, such as signature + bootstrap cookie + response decode + transport wrapper
• the target is WebSocket, GraphQL, protobuf, msgpack, encrypted response, dynamic-font decode, or stateful session protocol
• another skill or the user already supplied real request samples, call stacks, signer formulas, fixed input-output samples, or response bodies and now asks for implementation

Do not trigger when:

• only the sign/token/header entry, script URL, function name, or call stack is unknown -> camoufox-js-reverse
• only a Console/Snippets hook script is requested -> browser-hook-snippets
• a known browser JS entry must be made to run in Node.js/vm/jsdom -> env-patch
• the request is a compact Python + iv8 + requests script -> iv8-web-reverse
• the task is whole-file AST deobfuscation or control-flow restoration -> ast-deobfuscate
• the target is WeChat miniapp / WMPF runtime debugging -> wechat-miniapp-reverse

Non-Negotiables

• Final delivery must be pure protocol: raw HTTP plus local signer, local decoder, or local bootstrap helper only.
• Every fresh target without upstream evidence must get a normal-Chrome baseline before writing the final collector.
• Use js-reverse-mcp (starts in normal Chrome) for all ordinary JS reverse work.
• To switch to CloakBrowser at runtime: call launch_browser with cloakBinaryPath pointing to the CloakBrowser binary.
• To switch back to normal Chrome: call launch_browser with an empty cloakBinaryPath.
• Do not start CloakBrowser for ordinary signer, wrapper, decode, or request-diff work.
• Do not ship Playwright, Selenium, CDP page-driving, or submit-through-browser flows as the solution.
• Final delivery must run fully outside the browser: Python crawler scripts for collection, plus a local JS helper only for parameter, sign, token, or cookie reconstruction when Python porting is not yet the safest choice.
• Prefer Python for the collector and orchestration.
• Only keep a tiny isolated JS or WASM helper when a verified Python port is not yet cheaper, safer, or faster to maintain.
• Any JS helper must run locally without page driving, document, window, manual clicks, browser profiles, or hidden browser dependencies.
• If browser tooling is used at all, use it only for recon and evidence gathering, never as a hidden dependency in the final collector.
• Automation is forbidden as the final answer, forbidden as a fallback answer, and forbidden as a disguised "temporary" delivery path.
• Recover one stable request before scaling pagination, concurrency, or submission.
• Every conclusion must be backed by artifacts: request samples, fixed-input helper outputs, cookies, headers, and replay proof.
• All reconnaissance artifacts such as downloaded JS, WASM, fonts, HTML, network exports, state snapshots, screenshots, traces, and fixed-input vectors must go under the generated project's root-level js_reverse_cache/; create the project scaffold before saving target artifacts.
• Final collector code must live in the same dedicated protocol project directory using the bundled scaffold shape: analysis/, collector/, js_reverse_cache/, tests/, README.md, and requirements.txt. Do not collapse the delivery into a single main.py except for a temporary throwaway probe saved under that project's js_reverse_cache/.
• Stay in one execution loop until you reach protocol delivery or hit a real external blocker.

Confirmation Checkpoints

Do not let protocol recovery expand from artifact analysis into live side effects without a short user confirmation. Pause before:

• using account-bound cookies, Authorization headers, session ids, private API keys, or paid/privileged data sources in live replay
• submitting verifier answers, CAPTCHA/behavior payloads, forms, mutations, orders, payments, messages, or any request that can change server state
• increasing from one stable proof request to pagination, concurrency, retries, long-running collection, or high-volume scraping
• saving or printing full raw cookies, tokens, Authorization values, request bodies, response bodies, decrypted payloads, or account-bound samples; default to minimal fields, hashes, lengths, or masked excerpts
• switching from evidence reuse to fresh browser reconnaissance because provided artifacts are insufficient; state the missing artifact first, then ask for permission to collect it

No pause is needed for offline fixed-input signer checks, local decoder tests, static source reading, or replay against user-provided mock/sample artifacts.

Startup Gate

Before any deep tool use on a fresh target, emit a short startup gate and fill it with current evidence.

Evidence reuse path:

• if the task arrives from another skill, or the user already supplied real requests, headers/cookies, call stacks, signer formulas, fixed input-output samples, or response bodies, do not redo browser availability checks just to satisfy the fresh-target gate
• for this path, confirm the artifact directory, classify the protocol family, declare the final collector shape, then implement and verify against the provided artifacts or live replay when allowed

Required checks:

1. environment and tool sanity for fresh targets without upstream evidence
   • run scripts/check_reverse_env.py when local execution is available
   • confirm whether chrome-devtools-mcp and js-reverse-mcp (normal Chrome, switchable to CloakBrowser via launch_browser) are usable
   • record the browser tier: normal Chrome first, CloakBrowser only after explicit escalation evidence
   • if one tool is blocked, report the blocker before pretending the target is understood
2. artifact directory discipline
   • confirm the generated protocol project root has js_reverse_cache/, or create/scaffold the project before saving dynamic materials
   • save browser/network/source/state artifacts under the project's js_reverse_cache/, and save final collector code under the same dedicated protocol project directory
3. family triage
   • classify the target first as signer-gated, verifier-gated, decode-gated, or session-gated
   • read references/startup-triage-playbook.md before loading giant bundles
   • if a rotating cookie appears important, read references/cookie-provenance-playbook.md before hardcoding anything
4. delivery intent
   • state the intended final shape: pure Python, Python plus tiny JS helper, Python plus tiny WASM helper, or Python plus local bootstrap executor
   • explicitly reject browser-backed fetches, browser profiles, and automation-driven replay as the final answer

Rule:

• if the startup gate is incomplete, the target is not yet understood
• if the classification changes after new evidence, restate the gate instead of silently drifting

What This Skill Optimizes For

• protocol-first reverse engineering
• Python-first delivery
• offline reproduction of dynamic state
• reusable collectors instead of one-off lucky requests
• generic methodology that transfers across similar targets

Reference Layout

The references/ directory is organized by purpose:

• root-level playbooks are generic pattern documents and reusable workflows

Rule:

• read generic pattern playbooks first
• abstract solved work back into generic patterns instead of storing site-specific folklore

Similarity Heuristics

Treat a target as belonging to the same family when one or more of these symptoms appear:

• page code mentions one endpoint but the wire uses another
• business code builds token, sign, or m, but transport wrappers rewrite it before send
• the transport is GraphQL, WebSocket frames, protobuf, msgpack, or another structured envelope rather than plain JSON
• standard helper names such as md5, btoa, atob, or sha1 produce nonstandard output
• the first request returns JavaScript, cookies, offsets, or font files instead of business data
• the page is public, but a bootstrap endpoint still returns a public key, config blob, nonce seed, or wrapper contract before list requests work
• only one page fails, often the last page
• the page text says login or sessionid matters, and the answer differs per account
• the site ships a tiny side script or .wasm that looks unrelated but actually seeds signing state
• the API returns strings, hints, glyphs, or fonts instead of the final numeric payload
• the response body is encoded, compressed, protobuf, msgpack, or split across multiple layers before it becomes usable data
• the same request succeeds once and then dies unless some hidden refresh state is regenerated
• list APIs work anonymously, but detail or submit APIs still reject without a different permission boundary
• empty filter values do not reproduce the visible tab because the page injects category or mode state before send
• a login or pairing step returns a ref, QR seed, public key, or client identifier before business frames become readable
• the target keeps one long-lived WebSocket alive with auth, ack, heartbeat, or reconnect frames that must stay in order
• media metadata arrives in one place, but the actual file replay or decryption needs a separately derived key

If the symptoms match, reuse the methodology even when the exact site and parameter names differ.

Operating Doctrine

Doctrine 1: Trust the wire, not the page text

• Real request paths beat page hints.
• Real headers beat visible business code.
• Real cookies beat guessed token stories.
• Real response shape beats archived notes.

Doctrine 2: The dynamic parameter is not always a signature

The real moving part may be:

• a cookie
• a page-specific header
• a transport envelope
• a server-returned JS bootstrap
• a dynamic font
• a WebAssembly export
• a transport wrapper rewrite
• a response-side decoder
• an account-bound session contract

Do not assume every hard target is solved by hunting a sign function.

Doctrine 3: Fixed-input validation beats naming

If a page helper is called md5 or btoa, prove it on fixed inputs before trusting the name.

Minimum standard for suspicious helpers:

1. pick a fixed input such as "abc" or a captured timestamp
2. record browser output
3. record local output
4. compare intermediate values, not just final output

Doctrine 4: Narrow exceptions stay narrow

If only one page needs a special User-Agent, or only one request needs a rotated cookie, encode that exception explicitly. Do not poison the entire collector with a fake "browser-only" conclusion.

Doctrine 5: Automation is not an acceptable crutch

When stuck, do more protocol work:

• diff requests
• extract inline scripts
• run bootstrap JS locally
• port helper logic
• instantiate WASM locally
• decode fonts locally

Do not fall back to browser automation as delivery.

Doctrine 6: Environment mismatch is evidence

When local output and live output disagree, treat the mismatch as evidence:

• compare fixed inputs
• compare side assets
• compare patched helpers
• compare environment branches

Do not hand-wave the mismatch away as "probably browser-only".

Doctrine 7: Delivery gates outrank convenience

If the only known path still depends on live page context, the task is not done.

• a browser profile is not a protocol artifact
• a hidden refresh click is not a collector
• an unexplained decoder is not acceptable handoff

Keep reversing until the moving parts are local, explicit, and testable.

Doctrine 8: Public does not mean unsigned

Anonymous pages still have protocol contracts.

• a public list may still require entry-route cookies
• a bootstrap endpoint may still return the key, config, or envelope seed
• list visibility does not prove detail or submit visibility

Treat anonymous access, envelope construction, and permission boundaries as separate questions.

Doctrine 9: Stateful streams are protocol, not browser magic

If the target only becomes readable after login, pairing, or a warm-up WebSocket exchange, the session transcript is part of the protocol.

• pairing or login bootstrap is not UI fluff
• handshake outputs are protocol artifacts
• heartbeats, ack frames, counters, and reconnect rules are part of the collector

Do not collapse a stateful stream problem into a fake single-request sign story.

Doctrine 10: Observer effect is real

Some targets get harder after you touch them.

• verifier-gated or behavior-sensitive flows may change once hooks, breakpoints, or monkey patches are installed
• capture one clean baseline request and response before invasive instrumentation
• prefer initiator stacks, request diffs, and narrow boundary hooks before broad global hooks
• if hooking changes the failure mode, treat that as evidence that your tooling is perturbing the target

Do not confuse hook-induced breakage with proof that the site is "browser-only".

Doctrine 11: Cookie provenance beats cookie superstition

When a cookie gates replay, prove where it came from:

• Set-Cookie on a protocol response
• document.cookie from page code
• server-returned challenge or bootstrap JS
• redirect wrappers, iframes, workers, or SDK side effects
• a derived header or token that only looks like a cookie problem

Do not hardcode a rotating business cookie before proving its writer and refresh path.

Minimal Intake

Start immediately if the user already provided enough evidence.

Otherwise ask only for the smallest missing set:

• target page URL, or
• target API URL, or
• site homepage plus collection goal, or
• captured request sample, or
• JS snippet, obfuscated bundle, cookie sample, sign sample, or packet capture

Only ask follow-ups that change implementation:

• target fields
• scope: single page, pagination, category, date range, or whole site
• output format: JSON, CSV, Excel, database, or API sink
• whether login is required
• whether incremental sync, dedupe, or resume is required

Universal Reverse Loop

Phase 0: Fingerprint before deep work

Classify the target before reading giant bundles:

• decoy endpoint vs real endpoint
• wrapper rewrite vs visible param
• patched helper vs standard helper
• signer-gated vs verifier-gated vs decode-gated vs session-gated
• bootstrap asset vs direct data API
• plain JSON vs GraphQL vs WebSocket vs binary envelope
• single-shot replay vs stateful session with pairing, auth, or warm-up frames
• direct response vs encoded response vs glyph-mapped response
• page-specific exception vs whole-flow exception
• session-bound vs anonymous
• clean-baseline-first vs trace-first vs decode-first vs transcript-first
• rotating-cookie provenance known vs unknown
• JSVMP or heavy obfuscation vs normal packed bundle

Browser tier rule:

• js-reverse-mcp starts in normal Chrome; it is the default for all ordinary JS reverse work
• CloakBrowser is activated at runtime via launch_browser({cloakBinaryPath: "..."})—no separate MCP server needed
• when no fingerprint evidence exists, use js-reverse-mcp in normal-Chrome mode for everything

Goal:

• choose the smallest next proof and the least destructive first instrument, not the biggest code dump

Phase 1: Identify the true request path

• follow redirects
• inspect wrapper pages and compatibility pages
• separate visible page routes from real wire routes
• map bootstrap requests, list requests, detail requests, submission requests, and risk-control requests
• detect whether one endpoint serves both bootstrap and final data in separate phases

Deliverable for this phase:

• one confirmed request that is definitely on the real business path

Phase 2: Classify the moving parts

For the real request, classify each changing field:

• static header
• rotating header
• static cookie
• rotating cookie
• timestamp
• nonce or random fragment
• signed body or query
• transport envelope, operation name, or message type
• compressed or binary response format
• decode key, glyph map, or response-side transform
• encrypted response
• page-specific exception
• account-bound session dependency
• bootstrap artifact dependency
• login or pairing bootstrap artifact
• session key schedule or exported secret material
• heartbeat, ack, counter, or message-tag state
• media-key derivation or side-channel download secret

Goal:

• separate what must be reproduced from what is just noise

Phase 3: Locate the canonical mutation point

Look in this order:

1. transport wrappers such as $.ajaxSetup, beforeSend, fetch wrappers, interceptors
2. bootstrap side scripts and inline payloads
3. page-exposed helper functions
4. WebAssembly exports
5. server-returned JS challenges
6. response-side refresh fields that seed the next request
7. handshake transcripts, frame serializers, binary node encoders, protobuf parsers, or session key schedules

Rule:

• the canonical mutation point is where the wire payload actually changes, not where the business code first creates a placeholder

Phase 4: Rebuild the moving parts offline

Choose the cheapest valid offline shape:

1. pure Python
2. Python plus isolated JS signer
3. Python plus minimal local JS or WASM helper
4. Python plus local challenge bootstrap executor
5. Python plus local font decoder

Never add browser automation to the final path.

Phase 5: Prove repeatability

Do not call it solved until:

• the same logic succeeds at least 2 to 3 times
• pagination advances correctly
• final fields are complete
• dynamic state regenerates correctly
• account-bound constraints are documented

Pattern Atlas

Pattern A: The endpoint on the page is fake

Symptoms:

• page code hooks /api/match/...
• wire uses /api/question/... or another path
• browser request succeeds but replaying the visible path fails

Action:

• trust the network path
• trace request initiators
• document the decoy path
• code against the live path only

Pattern B: The business param is a decoy

Symptoms:

• page code builds token
• wire sends m, f, or another field
• request wrapper mutates data before send

Action:

• reverse the wrapper first
• diff business-layer params against final payload
• rebuild the wrapper logic, not the decoy field

Pattern C: Standard helper is patched

Symptoms:

• md5, btoa, atob, sha1, or similar names exist
• local reproduction with standard libraries does not match browser output

Action:

• freeze fixed test vectors
• port the exact helper implementation
• verify helper outputs before using them in requests

Pattern D: First response is not data, but bootstrap

Symptoms:

• first request returns JS, Set-Cookie, offset scripts, or challenge tokens
• replay works only after the bootstrap response is processed

Action:

• treat bootstrap as part of the protocol contract
• execute or emulate it locally
• carry resulting cookies or globals into the next request

Pattern E: Only one page breaks

Symptoms:

• pages 1 to 4 work
• page 5 fails or returns hints, strings, or anti-bot signals

Action:

• diff headers and cookies by page
• test page-specific User-Agent, referer, or ordering rules
• encode the exception narrowly

Pattern F: Answer or data is account-bound

Symptoms:

• page text mentions sessionid
• different accounts produce different sums or answers
• submit works only with the same session that collected the data

Action:

• make sessionid explicit in the collector
• keep fetch and submit under the same account
• verify with the same session before blaming signer logic

Pattern G: Tiny side assets carry the whole signer

Symptoms:

• .wasm, /offset, challenge JS, or font files appear trivial
• main bundle is noisy but side asset changes output decisively

Action:

• inspect side assets early
• instantiate WASM locally
• execute bootstrap JS locally
• decode fonts locally

Pattern H: Dynamic fonts hide the payload

Symptoms:

• numeric values appear as glyphs or meaningless text
• response includes font URLs or embedded font data

Action:

• fetch the font asset
• derive the codepoint-to-digit map
• decode the payload locally

Pattern I: One-shot verifier, captcha, or click challenge

Symptoms:

• next request only works after a verification step
• no meaningful JS signer exists for the business API

Action:

• treat the verifier output as the real dynamic parameter
• solve and replay the verifier in protocol form
• do not simulate clicks in the final solution

Pattern J: Response data is encoded, compressed, or split

Symptoms:

• HTTP status is normal but payload looks like gibberish, digit soup, escaped code, glyphs, or binary
• business data only appears after a decode helper, font map, protobuf parser, or compression layer
• the response body shape changes after a local decode step, not after another request

Action:

• freeze the raw payload first
• trace the first consumer of the raw payload
• identify decode order, keys, maps, or parsers
• rebuild the decoder locally
• validate local decode on the exact captured payload before scaling

Pattern K: Transport is GraphQL, WebSocket, or a binary envelope

Symptoms:

• the URL stays stable but operationName, frame type, or binary opcode changes
• request bodies carry nested variables, message IDs, or channel names
• the real contract is in the envelope structure, not just one visible param

Action:

• document the transport kind explicitly
• freeze one known-good message or body sample
• separate envelope fields from business fields
• identify which fields are signed, sequenced, or server-assigned
• replay one stable message locally before attempting full stream collection

Pattern L: Public page still hides a bootstrap envelope

Symptoms:

• the page or homepage is publicly visible
• one early endpoint returns a public key, config blob, nonce seed, or short string instead of business data
• the real business request posts a wrapper such as {"param":"..."} rather than the visible form fields
• compact JSON, a digest, a timestamp, and encryption or encoding are applied in a specific order
• list APIs work, but detail or submit APIs may still be permission-gated

Action:

• hit the real entry route once and capture the cookies that scope the public session
• freeze one bootstrap response and one successful business request
• prove the envelope build order exactly: raw payload, compact serialization, sign input, timestamp or nonce injection, final wrapper object, encryption or encoding, and outer transport field name
• verify long-message chunking rules when RSA or similar block ciphers wrap the payload
• make category, mode, and page parameters explicit instead of trusting UI defaults or empty values
• document list access and detail access separately so a public list is not mistaken for full public data access

Pattern M: Stateful WebSocket session with encrypted business frames

Symptoms:

• the target stays mostly idle until login, pairing, or a short warm-up exchange completes
• one or more early messages carry a ref, public key, client ID, secret seed, or challenge blob
• later frames are binary or protobuf and stay unreadable until session keys or counters are derived
• the stream dies unless auth, ack, heartbeat, reconnect, or message-tag rules are preserved
• media metadata is visible, but media download or decryption needs separate derivation from message payloads

Action:

• freeze one full successful transcript: bootstrap, login or pairing, auth ack, heartbeat, and one business frame
• separate frame families before reading payload semantics: bootstrap, auth, keepalive, business, receipt, media
• recover the exact key schedule or session-secret update path before blaming protobuf or compression
• document message tags, counters, and replay boundaries explicitly
• prove one stable local session first, then add stream collection, reconnect, or media handling

Tool Priorities

Every fresh target without upstream evidence must start with a startup gate, then an ordinary-Chrome-first analysis pass. Evidence-reuse tasks start from the provided artifacts and skip browser baseline unless the artifacts are insufficient:

1. run scripts/check_reverse_env.py when local execution is available, then classify the target with references/startup-triage-playbook.md
2. use normal Chrome through chrome-devtools-mcp for the first lightweight pass: page state, redirects, visible flow, and one first-pass network view
3. use js-reverse-mcp (normal Chrome) for initiator stacks, source search, wrapper tracing, breakpoints, and mutation hypotheses after the normal-Chrome baseline is captured
4. escalate to CloakBrowser by calling launch_browser({cloakBinaryPath: "D:\\..."})—this closes the normal browser and relaunches with CloakBrowser at the next tool call—only after fingerprint, anti-bot, or environment-verification evidence appears

Do not skip the normal-Chrome baseline on a fresh target without upstream evidence unless a real external blocker makes it unavailable, and if blocked, report that blocker explicitly.

CloakBrowser escalation is allowed only after one or more of these signs appear:

• normal Chrome receives fingerprint, webdriver, bot, risk-control, 403, 412, 429, or challenge behavior that a direct request or header diff cannot explain
• page code reads or hashes navigator, screen, canvas, WebGL, audio, fonts, timing, plugins, permissions, WebRTC, or automation flags before the protected request
• clean normal-Chrome baseline and local replay disagree on fixed environment-dependent outputs
• hooks or breakpoints change the failure mode and you need a less detectable capture to separate observer effect from protocol logic

When CloakBrowser is used, record what evidence triggered the upgrade and keep the final collector browser-free. Use trace_property_access to capture exactly which environment properties the target page reads; use compare_env for one-shot environment snapshot comparisons.

Tool routing:

• chrome-devtools-mcp: first browser baseline, page flow, UI-triggered requests
• js-reverse-mcp: all ordinary JS reverse work (starts as normal Chrome; invoke launch_browser({cloakBinaryPath: "..."}) to switch to CloakBrowser at runtime)

Priority order:

1. startup triage and least-destructive first move
2. chrome-devtools reconnaissance and network capture
3. js-reverse-mcp source search, wrapper tracing, and helper extraction
4. request diffing
5. helper verification on fixed inputs
6. offline execution of extracted logic
7. local protocol replay

Use deeper browser interaction only when one of these is true:

• a redirect chain or wrapper page must be observed once
• anti-debug defenses force offline extraction first
• a fixed input/output pair must be sampled from a page helper

The lightweight paired pass above is still mandatory on fresh targets. Even when deeper interaction is needed, the final collector must not depend on that browser step.

Bundled Scripts

Use local helper scripts when they shorten repeatable work:

• scripts/scaffold_reverse_project.py: generate a protocol-first Python project skeleton with profile-aware layouts for generic, public-envelope, structured-transport, and response-decode targets
• scripts/check_reverse_env.py: verify the minimal local reverse environment fast
• scripts/crypto_fingerprint.py: fingerprint suspicious digest, Base64, or custom-alphabet outputs
• scripts/protocol_diff.py: compare captured request or response samples and surface the meaningful deltas

For stateful stream targets, start from the structured-transport scaffold and split handshake, session, frame-codec, decode, and media logic into separate modules early.

Special routing:

• read references/startup-triage-playbook.md when the target is fresh or the symptom is still broad
• read references/workflow-overview.md when the task is still broad and you need the shortest end-to-end map
• read references/cookie-provenance-playbook.md when a rotating cookie matters but its writer is still unclear
• read references/hook-techniques.md before turning runtime validation into breakpoint chaos
• read references/crypto-patterns.md before trusting helpers named after standard algorithms
• read references/obfuscation-guide.md when packed bundles threaten to waste time
• read references/anti-debug-playbook.md when live inspection becomes unstable
• read references/environment-patch-playbook.md when local helper outputs diverge from live outputs
• read references/jsvmp-analysis-playbook.md when a VM or bytecode interpreter hides the logic
• read references/stateful-stream-e2ee-playbook.md when login or pairing bootstrap, session keys, heartbeats, binary frames, or media derivation are part of the contract
• read references/troubleshooting-playbook.md when replay is close but still flaky

Reproduction Decision Tree

Choose delivery in this order:

1. pure Python if all logic is restored
2. Python plus minimal JS helper if the signer is exact in JS and porting now would add risk
3. Python plus local WASM helper if the request param comes from a tiny export
4. Python plus local bootstrap executor if the server returns JS that seeds cookies or tokens
5. stop and keep reversing if the only remaining path is browser automation

Never choose:

• browser-backed replay as final delivery
• "works only in my browser profile" as acceptable handoff
• page-driving submission as the answer when protocol submission exists

Implementation Rules

• keep headers, cookies, signer logic, pagination, output, retries, and persistence in separate modules
• keep handshake bootstrap, session secrets, frame codecs, business parsing, and media derivation in separate modules when the target is stateful
• make sessionid, timeout, retry, sleep, and output path explicit arguments
• log or print sign inputs and outputs until they match verified samples
• include fixed-input self-checks before live traffic
• capture one clean baseline before broad hooks on verifier-gated or behavior-sensitive targets
• prefer Python reimplementation of crypto before falling back to JS execution
• if JS is kept, keep it narrowly scoped to parameter restoration, signer logic, token generation, cookie reconstruction, or local decoding only
• make the final runtime split explicit: Python owns HTTP, pagination, retries, parsing, storage, and orchestration; JS owns only the minimal parameter restoration that still cannot be ported safely
• strip browser-only assumptions from helper code or emulate them locally without launching a browser
• prefer stdlib HTTP clients when you want zero dependencies or the environment's third-party stack is noisy
• preserve weird delimiters and non-ASCII separators explicitly
• treat bootstrap artifacts such as public keys, config blobs, nonce seeds, and wrapper field names as first-class inputs
• prove cookie provenance before caching or persisting rotating cookies in the collector
• validate compact JSON shape, sign input order, timestamp precision, and chunked-encryption boundaries separately before blaming the runtime
• save raw request and response samples during early development
• save all dynamic reconnaissance materials under the generated project's js_reverse_cache/; keep final protocol code in that same scaffolded project directory under collector/ and curated notes under analysis/
• save one raw handshake transcript and one post-auth business frame before rewriting the collector
• support narrow per-page or per-request exceptions in configuration instead of hardcoding chaos into the main loop
• make category and pagination fields explicit when the page may be injecting hidden tab state
• fail loudly on unexpected response shapes
• if older notes disagree with live output, trust fresh live evidence

Verification Gates

Do not mark complete until all relevant gates pass:

• startup gate completed and updated if the target classification changed
• request path confirmed
• moving parts classified
• target family classified and initial routing recorded
• canonical mutation point identified
• first-pass chrome-devtools evidence captured for fresh targets, or evidence-reuse path documented
• first-pass js-reverse-mcp evidence captured for fresh targets, or evidence-reuse path documented
• relevant MCP capabilities considered through references/tool-playbook.md before declaring a tooling blocker
• clean baseline captured before invasive tooling when the target is verifier-gated or behavior-sensitive
• normal-Chrome baseline captured before any CloakBrowser escalation on fresh targets without upstream evidence, unless normal Chrome was unavailable and that blocker is documented
• CloakBrowser use, if any, has explicit fingerprint, anti-bot, or environment-verification evidence and was done through launch_browser({cloakBinaryPath: "..."}) on js-reverse-mcp
• helper outputs verified on fixed inputs
• structured transport rules documented when the target is not plain JSON
• response decode steps are local and repeatable when the payload is not directly readable
• fixed-sample checks exist for local decoders when decode is part of the contract
• bootstrap artifact replay confirmed when public routes still require key, config, cookie, or wrapper seeding
• cookie provenance proven when rotating cookies gate replay
• login or pairing bootstrap replay confirmed when the target needs a warm session before business traffic
• key schedule or session-secret derivation verified on captured samples when the stream is encrypted
• heartbeat, ack, counter, or message-tag rules documented when the stream is stateful
• raw frame parsing and business decode proven on at least one exact captured frame
• media-key derivation documented when file download or decryption uses separate secrets
• live replay succeeds repeatedly
• pagination or cursor advance confirmed
• account-bound constraints documented
• list-versus-detail permission boundaries documented when access levels differ
• page-specific exceptions documented
• final Python collector runs without browser automation or browser profiles
• final JS helper, if any, runs locally without browser automation or DOM dependence
• output saved in the requested format

Output Contract

After each meaningful phase, emit short structured reporting instead of vague prose.

Always return:

• which target family won the startup triage and why
• what chrome-devtools proved about the site flow
• what js-reverse-mcp proved about the mutation logic
• what the real endpoint is
• what the real moving parts are
• whether observer-effect risk showed up and how it was controlled
• whether CloakBrowser was used, and what evidence justified escalating beyond normal Chrome
• what the cookie provenance is when cookies mattered
• what was misleading
• what was verified with fixed inputs
• what the final protocol path is
• how the Python collector and JS helper are split
• confirmation that the final runtime is fully browser-free
• where the collector and sample output were saved
• what still looks unstable, if anything

Use the headings from references/report-templates.md when possible.

Skill Validation

When modifying this skill itself, validate against the official self-test suite before calling the edit complete.

Pass conditions:

• the route stays protocol-first
• every fresh target without upstream evidence begins with a normal-Chrome baseline before any CloakBrowser escalation
• CloakBrowser is used only after fingerprint, anti-bot, or environment-verification evidence is recorded
• final delivery never depends on browser automation
• final delivery is Python collector first, with JS limited to local parameter restoration only
• minimal missing evidence is requested instead of broad homework for the user
• the chosen references match the real symptom instead of generic cargo-cult loading
• output reports the real endpoint, real moving parts, and proof artifacts
• structured transport, decode chains, stateful sessions, and delivery gates are handled correctly when present

Anti-Patterns

• Do not ask the user to manually inspect giant bundles if tooling can inspect them.
• Do not skip chrome-devtools-mcp or js-reverse-mcp on a fresh target unless you report a real blocker.
• Do not launch CloakBrowser as the first move for ordinary JS reverse tasks.
• Do not jump straight to Selenium or Playwright when a direct API exists.
• Do not install broad hooks before capturing a clean baseline on verifier-gated or behavior-sensitive targets.
• Do not confuse business-layer params with wire-layer params.
• Do not trust helper names without fixed-input proof.
• Do not call browser-only behavior before checking page-specific headers or cookies.
• Do not hardcode rotating cookies before proving who writes them and how they refresh.
• Do not bury every concern in one main.py.
• Do not stop after one lucky success.
• Do not ship a browser automation script when the task is protocol-recoverable.
• Do not hide automation behind words like "temporary collector" or "reliable fallback".
• Do not leave final JS helpers coupled to window, document, browser storage, or manual browser state when they can be made local and deterministic.

Reference Router

Read focused generic references when the symptom matches:

• references/startup-triage-playbook.md when the target is fresh and the first question is "what kind of fight is this?"
• references/workflow-overview.md for the shortest end-to-end execution map
• references/tool-playbook.md for tool choice and next-step routing
• references/report-templates.md for phase reporting and handoff structure
• references/official-self-test-task-suite.md when validating whether the skill still generalizes after edits
• references/cookie-provenance-playbook.md when a cookie is blocking replay but the writer or refresh path is still unclear
• references/crypto-patterns.md when signatures or helper outputs look suspicious
• references/obfuscation-guide.md when packed code or string tables dominate the bundle
• references/hook-techniques.md when runtime proof is faster than static reading
• references/anti-debug-playbook.md when the page destabilizes tooling
• references/environment-patch-playbook.md when local execution diverges from live execution
• references/env-diff-playbook.md when redirects, wrappers, or environment-specific behavior cause mismatches
• references/jsvmp-analysis-playbook.md when a custom VM or bytecode interpreter hides the logic
• references/structured-transport-playbook.md when GraphQL, WebSocket, protobuf, msgpack, or binary envelopes carry the real contract
• references/stateful-stream-e2ee-playbook.md when login, pairing, session keys, keepalive frames, or media decryption make the stream stateful
• references/response-decode-playbook.md when the payload needs local decode before it becomes usable data
• references/public-bootstrap-envelope-playbook.md when a public page still needs bootstrap keys, cookies, config, or an encrypted wrapper before list replay works
• references/delivery-gate-playbook.md when you need to decide

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