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analyzing-slack-space-and-file-system-artifacts

Examine NTFS slack space, MFT entries, the USN Change Journal, and Alternate Data Streams (ADS) to recover hidden or residual data, reconstruct deleted-file metadata, and reconstruct available file-system change activity from USN records. Use during deep forensic analysis of an NTFS image when standard file recovery is insufficient, such as hunting for data hidden in ADS.

63

Quality

75%

Does it follow best practices?

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Adds up to 20 points to the overall score

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SecuritybySnyk

Critical

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tessl review fix ./skills/analyzing-slack-space-and-file-system-artifacts/SKILL.md
SKILL.md
Quality
Evals
Security

Quality

Content

57%Weight 40%Scale 1-5

Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.

The body is action-oriented and well-structured but stumbles on three fronts: missing validation for destructive forensic operations, an unreferenced/duplicated bundle, and avoidable explanatory padding. Tightening these would lift it substantially.

Suggestions

Add validation/verification checkpoints: hash the evidence image before analysis, verify carved/extracted artifacts, and include an error-recovery loop for parser failures.

Link the existing bundle files from the body (e.g. 'See references/api-reference.md for full TSK syntax' and 'Use scripts/agent.py for automated parsing') and move duplicated TSK command detail into the reference.

Trim the Key Concepts table and the illustrative Output Format block, which restate NTFS basics Claude already knows.

DimensionReasoningScore

Conciseness

Mostly efficient code blocks, but the Key Concepts table restates basic NTFS concepts Claude already knows and the illustrative Output Format block is padding rather than instruction.

3 / 5

Actionability

Provides concrete executable TSK/MFTECmd commands and full Python MFT/USN parsers, with a minor gap in the Step 3 slack-space block that runs istat then only comments rather than computing slack.

4 / 5

Workflow Clarity

Five clearly sequenced steps, but this destructive/batch forensic skill has no validation checkpoints (evidence integrity hashing, carving-output verification, error-recovery loops), capping the score per the rubric.

3 / 5

Progressive Disclosure

Well-sectioned body, but bundle files (references/api-reference.md, scripts/agent.py) are never referenced from the body, and inline TSK command blocks duplicate content that belongs in the API reference.

3 / 5

Total

13

/

20

Passed

Description

92%Weight 40%Scale 1-5

Based on the skill's description, can an agent find and select it at the right time? Clear, specific descriptions lead to better discovery.

The description is strong: concrete, comprehensive, third-person, and explicit about both capability and trigger conditions. Its only gap is trigger-term breadth, missing natural synonyms and extension-style cues.

Suggestions

Add natural synonyms and extension-style trigger terms a user might say, e.g. 'deleted files', '.dd / .E01 images', 'hidden data', 'file carving'.

Consider naming a couple of representative tools (Sleuth Kit, MFTECmd) to sharpen trigger recognition without bloating the description.

DimensionReasoningScore

Specificity

Lists multiple concrete actions (examine slack space, MFT entries, USN Journal, ADS) tied to concrete outcomes (recover hidden data, reconstruct deleted-file metadata, reconstruct change activity), giving comprehensive coverage.

5 / 5

Completeness

Explicitly states both what it does and when to use it ('Use during deep forensic analysis of an NTFS image when standard file recovery is insufficient, such as hunting for data hidden in ADS').

5 / 5

Trigger Term Quality

Strong domain keywords (NTFS slack space, MFT, USN Change Journal, ADS, file recovery) but lacks common natural synonyms and file-extension-style triggers a user would naturally say.

4 / 5

Distinctiveness Conflict Risk

A clear NTFS-deep-forensics niche with distinct triggers (slack space, MFT, USN, ADS) that minimizes overlap with other skills.

5 / 5

Total

19

/

20

Passed

Validation

93%

Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.

Validation15 / 16 Passed

Validation for skill structure

CriteriaDescriptionResult

frontmatter_unknown_keys

Unknown frontmatter key(s) found; consider removing or moving to metadata

Warning

Total

15

/

16

Passed

Repository
mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills
Reviewed

Table of Contents

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