fix(docker): add explicit env allowlist for container credentials (#1436)

Docker terminal sessions are secret-dark by default. This adds
terminal.docker_forward_env as an explicit allowlist for env vars
that may be forwarded into Docker containers.

Values resolve from the current shell first, then fall back to
~/.hermes/.env. Only variables the user explicitly lists are
forwarded — nothing is auto-exposed.

Cherry-picked from PR #1449 by @teknium1, conflict-resolved onto
current main.

Fixes #1436
Supersedes #1439

website/docs/reference/environment-variables.md

@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ For native Anthropic auth, Hermes prefers Claude Code's own credential files whe
 |----------|-------------|
 | `TERMINAL_ENV` | Backend: `local`, `docker`, `ssh`, `singularity`, `modal`, `daytona` |
 | `TERMINAL_DOCKER_IMAGE` | Docker image (default: `python:3.11`) |
+| `TERMINAL_DOCKER_FORWARD_ENV` | JSON array of env var names to explicitly forward into Docker terminal sessions |
 | `TERMINAL_DOCKER_VOLUMES` | Additional Docker volume mounts (comma-separated `host:container` pairs) |
 | `TERMINAL_DOCKER_MOUNT_CWD_TO_WORKSPACE` | Advanced opt-in: mount the launch cwd into Docker `/workspace` (`true`/`false`, default: `false`) |
 | `TERMINAL_SINGULARITY_IMAGE` | Singularity image or `.sif` path |

website/docs/user-guide/configuration.md

@@ -488,6 +488,8 @@ terminal:
   # Docker-specific settings
   docker_image: "nikolaik/python-nodejs:python3.11-nodejs20"
   docker_mount_cwd_to_workspace: false  # SECURITY: off by default. Opt in to mount the launch cwd into /workspace.
+  docker_forward_env:              # Optional explicit allowlist for env passthrough
+    - "GITHUB_TOKEN"
   docker_volumes:                    # Additional explicit host mounts
     - "/home/user/projects:/workspace/projects"
     - "/home/user/data:/data:ro"     # :ro for read-only
@@ -555,6 +557,24 @@ This is useful for:
 
 Can also be set via environment variable: `TERMINAL_DOCKER_VOLUMES='["/host:/container"]'` (JSON array).
 
+### Docker Credential Forwarding
+
+By default, Docker terminal sessions do not inherit arbitrary host credentials. If you need a specific token inside the container, add it to `terminal.docker_forward_env`.
+
+```yaml
+terminal:
+  backend: docker
+  docker_forward_env:
+    - "GITHUB_TOKEN"
+    - "NPM_TOKEN"
+```
+
+Hermes resolves each listed variable from your current shell first, then falls back to `~/.hermes/.env` if it was saved with `hermes config set`.
+
+:::warning
+Anything listed in `docker_forward_env` becomes visible to commands run inside the container. Only forward credentials you are comfortable exposing to the terminal session.
+:::
+
 ### Optional: Mount the Launch Directory into `/workspace`
 
 Docker sandboxes stay isolated by default. Hermes does **not** pass your current host working directory into the container unless you explicitly opt in.

website/docs/user-guide/features/tools.md

@@ -135,6 +135,8 @@ All container backends run with security hardening:
 - Full namespace isolation
 - Persistent workspace via volumes, not writable root layer
 
+Docker can optionally receive an explicit env allowlist via `terminal.docker_forward_env`, but forwarded variables are visible to commands inside the container and should be treated as exposed to that session.
+
 ## Background Process Management
 
 Start background processes and manage them:

website/docs/user-guide/security.md

@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ Container resources are configurable in `~/.hermes/config.yaml`:
 terminal:
   backend: docker
   docker_image: "nikolaik/python-nodejs:python3.11-nodejs20"
+  docker_forward_env: []  # Explicit allowlist only; empty keeps secrets out of the container
   container_cpu: 1        # CPU cores
   container_memory: 5120  # MB (default 5GB)
   container_disk: 51200   # MB (default 50GB, requires overlay2 on XFS)
@@ -227,6 +228,10 @@ terminal:
 For production gateway deployments, use `docker`, `modal`, or `daytona` backend to isolate agent commands from your host system. This eliminates the need for dangerous command approval entirely.
 :::
 
+:::warning
+If you add names to `terminal.docker_forward_env`, those variables are intentionally injected into the container for terminal commands. This is useful for task-specific credentials like `GITHUB_TOKEN`, but it also means code running in the container can read and exfiltrate them.
+:::
+
 ## Terminal Backend Security Comparison
 
 | Backend | Isolation | Dangerous Cmd Check | Best For |