How do I install the Guardskills skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add johnalbertini14-glitch/guardskills 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 Guardskills safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Independent scanners report: SkillSpector: PASS, Skill Scanner: PASS. Capability flags: makes network calls. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Guardskills?

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 Guardskills free to use?

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

Who published Guardskills?

johnalbertini14-glitch (@johnalbertini14-glitch) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Guardskills by johnalbertini14-glitch

Name: Guardskills
Rating: 4.5 (4 reviews)
Author: johnalbertini14-glitch

Guardskills

Security gate for skill installs. Scans skill content for malicious patterns (credential exfiltration, remote code execution, destructive ops, privilege escalation) before installation. Always run guardskills before installing any skill from ClawHub, GitHub, or local sources.

File contents

GuardSkills — Security Scanner for Skills

Static analysis security gate. Scans skill files for malicious patterns and produces a risk decision before allowing installation.

Rule — ALWAYS scan before installing

Before installing any skill (ClawHub, GitHub, local, or skills.sh), you MUST run a guardskills scan first. Never run clawhub install, skills add, or copy skill files without scanning.

Scan by source

1. ClawHub skills

When the user asks to install a ClawHub skill, scan it first:

guardskills scan-clawhub <owner/skill-slug>

Also accepts full URLs:

guardskills scan-clawhub https://clawhub.ai/owner/skill-slug

2. Local skills

When loading or reviewing a skill folder on disk:

guardskills scan-local <path-to-skill-folder>

If the path contains multiple skills:

guardskills scan-local <path-to-skills-root> --skill <skill-folder-name>

3. GitHub skills

When installing from a GitHub repository:

guardskills add owner/repo --skill <skill-name> --dry-run

Also accepts full URLs:

guardskills add https://github.com/owner/repo --skill <skill-name> --dry-run

4. skills.sh skills

Use the same GitHub flow:

guardskills add owner/repo --skill <skill-name> --dry-run

If scan passes:

guardskills add owner/repo --skill <skill-name>

How to interpret results

Decision	Action
`SAFE`	Proceed with installation.
`WARNING`	Ask the user for confirmation before proceeding.
`UNSAFE`	Block. Tell the user the skill is unsafe and do not install.
`CRITICAL`	Block. Do not install under any circumstances.
`UNVERIFIABLE`	Block. Inform the user the skill could not be verified.

Useful flags

--json — machine-readable JSON output
--dry-run — scan only, do not install
--ci — deterministic gate mode (no prompts, no install)
--strict — use stricter risk thresholds
--yes — auto-accept WARNING level (only if user explicitly requests)
--force — override UNSAFE block (only if user explicitly requests)
--allow-unverifiable — override UNVERIFIABLE block (only if user explicitly requests)

Exit codes

0 — allowed / safe
10 — warning not confirmed
20 — blocked (UNSAFE, CRITICAL, or UNVERIFIABLE)
30 — runtime / internal error

Recommended workflow

User asks to install a skill.
Determine the source (ClawHub, GitHub, local, skills.sh).
Run the appropriate guardskills scan command.
Read the decision from the output.
If SAFE, proceed with clawhub install or equivalent.
If WARNING, inform the user and ask for confirmation.
If UNSAFE, CRITICAL, or UNVERIFIABLE, block and explain why.
Never skip the scan step.

Notes

guardskills is an additional security layer, not a replacement for manual review.
A SAFE result means no known high-risk patterns were detected, not a guarantee of safety.
The scanner checks for: credential exfiltration, remote code execution chains, destructive filesystem operations, privilege escalation, obfuscated payloads, and suspicious network activity.

---name: guardskillsdescription: Security gate for skill installs. Scans skill content for malicious patterns (credential exfiltration, remote code execution, destructive ops, privilege escalation) before installation. Always run guardskills before installing any skill from ClawHub, GitHub, or local sources.---# GuardSkills — Security Scanner for SkillsStatic analysis security gate. Scans skill files for malicious patterns and produces a risk decision before allowing installation.## Rule — ALWAYS scan before installingBefore installing any skill (ClawHub, GitHub, local, or skills.sh), you MUST run a guardskills scan first. Never run `clawhub install`, `skills add`, or copy skill files without scanning.## Scan by source### 1. ClawHub skillsWhen the user asks to install a ClawHub skill, scan it first:```bashguardskills scan-clawhub <owner/skill-slug>```Also accepts full URLs:```bashguardskills scan-clawhub https://clawhub.ai/owner/skill-slug```### 2. Local skillsWhen loading or reviewing a skill folder on disk:```bashguardskills scan-local <path-to-skill-folder>```If the path contains multiple skills:```bashguardskills scan-local <path-to-skills-root> --skill <skill-folder-name>```### 3. GitHub skillsWhen installing from a GitHub repository:```bashguardskills add owner/repo --skill <skill-name> --dry-run```Also accepts full URLs:```bashguardskills add https://github.com/owner/repo --skill <skill-name> --dry-run```### 4. skills.sh skillsUse the same GitHub flow:```bashguardskills add owner/repo --skill <skill-name> --dry-run```If scan passes:```bashguardskills add owner/repo --skill <skill-name>```## How to interpret results| Decision | Action || -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ || `SAFE` | Proceed with installation. || `WARNING` | Ask the user for confirmation before proceeding. || `UNSAFE` | Block. Tell the user the skill is unsafe and do not install. || `CRITICAL` | Block. Do not install under any circumstances. || `UNVERIFIABLE` | Block. Inform the user the skill could not be verified. |## Useful flags- `--json` — machine-readable JSON output- `--dry-run` — scan only, do not install- `--ci` — deterministic gate mode (no prompts, no install)- `--strict` — use stricter risk thresholds- `--yes` — auto-accept WARNING level (only if user explicitly requests)- `--force` — override UNSAFE block (only if user explicitly requests)- `--allow-unverifiable` — override UNVERIFIABLE block (only if user explicitly requests)## Exit codes- `0` — allowed / safe- `10` — warning not confirmed- `20` — blocked (UNSAFE, CRITICAL, or UNVERIFIABLE)- `30` — runtime / internal error## Recommended workflow1. User asks to install a skill.2. Determine the source (ClawHub, GitHub, local, skills.sh).3. Run the appropriate `guardskills` scan command.4. Read the decision from the output.5. If `SAFE`, proceed with `clawhub install` or equivalent.6. If `WARNING`, inform the user and ask for confirmation.7. If `UNSAFE`, `CRITICAL`, or `UNVERIFIABLE`, block and explain why.8. Never skip the scan step.## Notes- guardskills is an additional security layer, not a replacement for manual review.- A `SAFE` result means no known high-risk patterns were detected, not a guarantee of safety.- The scanner checks for: credential exfiltration, remote code execution chains, destructive filesystem operations, privilege escalation, obfuscated payloads, and suspicious network activity.

Frequently asked questions