Files
hermes-agent/tools/approval.py
Teknium 947faed3bc feat(approvals): make dangerous command approval timeout configurable (#3886)
* feat(approvals): make dangerous command approval timeout configurable

Read `approvals.timeout` from config.yaml (default 60s) instead of
hardcoding 60 seconds in both the fallback CLI prompt and the TUI
prompt_toolkit callback.

Follows the same pattern as `clarify.timeout` which is already
configurable via CLI_CONFIG.

Closes #3765

* fix: add timeout default to approvals section in DEFAULT_CONFIG

---------

Co-authored-by: acsezen <asezen@icloud.com>
2026-03-30 00:02:02 -07:00

671 lines
26 KiB
Python

"""Dangerous command approval -- detection, prompting, and per-session state.
This module is the single source of truth for the dangerous command system:
- Pattern detection (DANGEROUS_PATTERNS, detect_dangerous_command)
- Per-session approval state (thread-safe, keyed by session_key)
- Approval prompting (CLI interactive + gateway async)
- Smart approval via auxiliary LLM (auto-approve low-risk commands)
- Permanent allowlist persistence (config.yaml)
"""
import logging
import os
import re
import sys
import threading
import unicodedata
from typing import Optional
logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
# Sensitive write targets that should trigger approval even when referenced
# via shell expansions like $HOME or $HERMES_HOME.
_SSH_SENSITIVE_PATH = r'(?:~|\$home|\$\{home\})/\.ssh(?:/|$)'
_HERMES_ENV_PATH = (
r'(?:~\/\.hermes/|'
r'(?:\$home|\$\{home\})/\.hermes/|'
r'(?:\$hermes_home|\$\{hermes_home\})/)'
r'\.env\b'
)
_SENSITIVE_WRITE_TARGET = (
r'(?:/etc/|/dev/sd|'
rf'{_SSH_SENSITIVE_PATH}|'
rf'{_HERMES_ENV_PATH})'
)
# =========================================================================
# Dangerous command patterns
# =========================================================================
DANGEROUS_PATTERNS = [
(r'\brm\s+(-[^\s]*\s+)*/', "delete in root path"),
(r'\brm\s+-[^\s]*r', "recursive delete"),
(r'\brm\s+--recursive\b', "recursive delete (long flag)"),
(r'\bchmod\s+(-[^\s]*\s+)*(777|666|o\+[rwx]*w|a\+[rwx]*w)\b', "world/other-writable permissions"),
(r'\bchmod\s+--recursive\b.*(777|666|o\+[rwx]*w|a\+[rwx]*w)', "recursive world/other-writable (long flag)"),
(r'\bchown\s+(-[^\s]*)?R\s+root', "recursive chown to root"),
(r'\bchown\s+--recursive\b.*root', "recursive chown to root (long flag)"),
(r'\bmkfs\b', "format filesystem"),
(r'\bdd\s+.*if=', "disk copy"),
(r'>\s*/dev/sd', "write to block device"),
(r'\bDROP\s+(TABLE|DATABASE)\b', "SQL DROP"),
(r'\bDELETE\s+FROM\b(?!.*\bWHERE\b)', "SQL DELETE without WHERE"),
(r'\bTRUNCATE\s+(TABLE)?\s*\w', "SQL TRUNCATE"),
(r'>\s*/etc/', "overwrite system config"),
(r'\bsystemctl\s+(stop|disable|mask)\b', "stop/disable system service"),
(r'\bkill\s+-9\s+-1\b', "kill all processes"),
(r'\bpkill\s+-9\b', "force kill processes"),
(r':\(\)\s*\{\s*:\s*\|\s*:\s*&\s*\}\s*;\s*:', "fork bomb"),
# Any shell invocation via -c or combined flags like -lc, -ic, etc.
(r'\b(bash|sh|zsh|ksh)\s+-[^\s]*c(\s+|$)', "shell command via -c/-lc flag"),
(r'\b(python[23]?|perl|ruby|node)\s+-[ec]\s+', "script execution via -e/-c flag"),
(r'\b(curl|wget)\b.*\|\s*(ba)?sh\b', "pipe remote content to shell"),
(r'\b(bash|sh|zsh|ksh)\s+<\s*<?\s*\(\s*(curl|wget)\b', "execute remote script via process substitution"),
(rf'\btee\b.*["\']?{_SENSITIVE_WRITE_TARGET}', "overwrite system file via tee"),
(rf'>>?\s*["\']?{_SENSITIVE_WRITE_TARGET}', "overwrite system file via redirection"),
(r'\bxargs\s+.*\brm\b', "xargs with rm"),
(r'\bfind\b.*-exec\s+(/\S*/)?rm\b', "find -exec rm"),
(r'\bfind\b.*-delete\b', "find -delete"),
# Gateway protection: never start gateway outside systemd management
(r'gateway\s+run\b.*(&\s*$|&\s*;|\bdisown\b|\bsetsid\b)', "start gateway outside systemd (use 'systemctl --user restart hermes-gateway')"),
(r'\bnohup\b.*gateway\s+run\b', "start gateway outside systemd (use 'systemctl --user restart hermes-gateway')"),
# Self-termination protection: prevent agent from killing its own process
(r'\b(pkill|killall)\b.*\b(hermes|gateway|cli\.py)\b', "kill hermes/gateway process (self-termination)"),
# File copy/move/edit into sensitive system paths
(r'\b(cp|mv|install)\b.*\s/etc/', "copy/move file into /etc/"),
(r'\bsed\s+-[^\s]*i.*\s/etc/', "in-place edit of system config"),
(r'\bsed\s+--in-place\b.*\s/etc/', "in-place edit of system config (long flag)"),
]
def _legacy_pattern_key(pattern: str) -> str:
"""Reproduce the old regex-derived approval key for backwards compatibility."""
return pattern.split(r'\b')[1] if r'\b' in pattern else pattern[:20]
_PATTERN_KEY_ALIASES: dict[str, set[str]] = {}
for _pattern, _description in DANGEROUS_PATTERNS:
_legacy_key = _legacy_pattern_key(_pattern)
_canonical_key = _description
_PATTERN_KEY_ALIASES.setdefault(_canonical_key, set()).update({_canonical_key, _legacy_key})
_PATTERN_KEY_ALIASES.setdefault(_legacy_key, set()).update({_legacy_key, _canonical_key})
def _approval_key_aliases(pattern_key: str) -> set[str]:
"""Return all approval keys that should match this pattern.
New approvals use the human-readable description string, but older
command_allowlist entries and session approvals may still contain the
historical regex-derived key.
"""
return _PATTERN_KEY_ALIASES.get(pattern_key, {pattern_key})
# =========================================================================
# Detection
# =========================================================================
def _normalize_command_for_detection(command: str) -> str:
"""Normalize a command string before dangerous-pattern matching.
Strips ANSI escape sequences (full ECMA-48 via tools.ansi_strip),
null bytes, and normalizes Unicode fullwidth characters so that
obfuscation techniques cannot bypass the pattern-based detection.
"""
from tools.ansi_strip import strip_ansi
# Strip all ANSI escape sequences (CSI, OSC, DCS, 8-bit C1, etc.)
command = strip_ansi(command)
# Strip null bytes
command = command.replace('\x00', '')
# Normalize Unicode (fullwidth Latin, halfwidth Katakana, etc.)
command = unicodedata.normalize('NFKC', command)
return command
def detect_dangerous_command(command: str) -> tuple:
"""Check if a command matches any dangerous patterns.
Returns:
(is_dangerous, pattern_key, description) or (False, None, None)
"""
command_lower = _normalize_command_for_detection(command).lower()
for pattern, description in DANGEROUS_PATTERNS:
if re.search(pattern, command_lower, re.IGNORECASE | re.DOTALL):
pattern_key = description
return (True, pattern_key, description)
return (False, None, None)
# =========================================================================
# Per-session approval state (thread-safe)
# =========================================================================
_lock = threading.Lock()
_pending: dict[str, dict] = {}
_session_approved: dict[str, set] = {}
_permanent_approved: set = set()
def submit_pending(session_key: str, approval: dict):
"""Store a pending approval request for a session."""
with _lock:
_pending[session_key] = approval
def pop_pending(session_key: str) -> Optional[dict]:
"""Retrieve and remove a pending approval for a session."""
with _lock:
return _pending.pop(session_key, None)
def has_pending(session_key: str) -> bool:
"""Check if a session has a pending approval request."""
with _lock:
return session_key in _pending
def approve_session(session_key: str, pattern_key: str):
"""Approve a pattern for this session only."""
with _lock:
_session_approved.setdefault(session_key, set()).add(pattern_key)
def is_approved(session_key: str, pattern_key: str) -> bool:
"""Check if a pattern is approved (session-scoped or permanent).
Accept both the current canonical key and the legacy regex-derived key so
existing command_allowlist entries continue to work after key migrations.
"""
aliases = _approval_key_aliases(pattern_key)
with _lock:
if any(alias in _permanent_approved for alias in aliases):
return True
session_approvals = _session_approved.get(session_key, set())
return any(alias in session_approvals for alias in aliases)
def approve_permanent(pattern_key: str):
"""Add a pattern to the permanent allowlist."""
with _lock:
_permanent_approved.add(pattern_key)
def load_permanent(patterns: set):
"""Bulk-load permanent allowlist entries from config."""
with _lock:
_permanent_approved.update(patterns)
def clear_session(session_key: str):
"""Clear all approvals and pending requests for a session."""
with _lock:
_session_approved.pop(session_key, None)
_pending.pop(session_key, None)
# =========================================================================
# Config persistence for permanent allowlist
# =========================================================================
def load_permanent_allowlist() -> set:
"""Load permanently allowed command patterns from config.
Also syncs them into the approval module so is_approved() works for
patterns added via 'always' in a previous session.
"""
try:
from hermes_cli.config import load_config
config = load_config()
patterns = set(config.get("command_allowlist", []) or [])
if patterns:
load_permanent(patterns)
return patterns
except Exception:
return set()
def save_permanent_allowlist(patterns: set):
"""Save permanently allowed command patterns to config."""
try:
from hermes_cli.config import load_config, save_config
config = load_config()
config["command_allowlist"] = list(patterns)
save_config(config)
except Exception as e:
logger.warning("Could not save allowlist: %s", e)
# =========================================================================
# Approval prompting + orchestration
# =========================================================================
def prompt_dangerous_approval(command: str, description: str,
timeout_seconds: int | None = None,
allow_permanent: bool = True,
approval_callback=None) -> str:
"""Prompt the user to approve a dangerous command (CLI only).
Args:
allow_permanent: When False, hide the [a]lways option (used when
tirith warnings are present, since broad permanent allowlisting
is inappropriate for content-level security findings).
approval_callback: Optional callback registered by the CLI for
prompt_toolkit integration. Signature:
(command, description, *, allow_permanent=True) -> str.
Returns: 'once', 'session', 'always', or 'deny'
"""
if timeout_seconds is None:
timeout_seconds = _get_approval_timeout()
if approval_callback is not None:
try:
return approval_callback(command, description,
allow_permanent=allow_permanent)
except Exception:
return "deny"
os.environ["HERMES_SPINNER_PAUSE"] = "1"
try:
while True:
print()
print(f" ⚠️ DANGEROUS COMMAND: {description}")
print(f" {command}")
print()
if allow_permanent:
print(" [o]nce | [s]ession | [a]lways | [d]eny")
else:
print(" [o]nce | [s]ession | [d]eny")
print()
sys.stdout.flush()
result = {"choice": ""}
def get_input():
try:
prompt = " Choice [o/s/a/D]: " if allow_permanent else " Choice [o/s/D]: "
result["choice"] = input(prompt).strip().lower()
except (EOFError, OSError):
result["choice"] = ""
thread = threading.Thread(target=get_input, daemon=True)
thread.start()
thread.join(timeout=timeout_seconds)
if thread.is_alive():
print("\n ⏱ Timeout - denying command")
return "deny"
choice = result["choice"]
if choice in ('o', 'once'):
print(" ✓ Allowed once")
return "once"
elif choice in ('s', 'session'):
print(" ✓ Allowed for this session")
return "session"
elif choice in ('a', 'always'):
if not allow_permanent:
print(" ✓ Allowed for this session")
return "session"
print(" ✓ Added to permanent allowlist")
return "always"
else:
print(" ✗ Denied")
return "deny"
except (EOFError, KeyboardInterrupt):
print("\n ✗ Cancelled")
return "deny"
finally:
if "HERMES_SPINNER_PAUSE" in os.environ:
del os.environ["HERMES_SPINNER_PAUSE"]
print()
sys.stdout.flush()
def _normalize_approval_mode(mode) -> str:
"""Normalize approval mode values loaded from YAML/config.
YAML 1.1 treats bare words like `off` as booleans, so a config entry like
`approvals:\n mode: off` is parsed as False unless quoted. Treat that as the
intended string mode instead of falling back to manual approvals.
"""
if isinstance(mode, bool):
return "off" if mode is False else "manual"
if isinstance(mode, str):
normalized = mode.strip().lower()
return normalized or "manual"
return "manual"
def _get_approval_config() -> dict:
"""Read the approvals config block. Returns a dict with 'mode', 'timeout', etc."""
try:
from hermes_cli.config import load_config
config = load_config()
return config.get("approvals", {}) or {}
except Exception:
return {}
def _get_approval_mode() -> str:
"""Read the approval mode from config. Returns 'manual', 'smart', or 'off'."""
mode = _get_approval_config().get("mode", "manual")
return _normalize_approval_mode(mode)
def _get_approval_timeout() -> int:
"""Read the approval timeout from config. Defaults to 60 seconds."""
try:
return int(_get_approval_config().get("timeout", 60))
except (ValueError, TypeError):
return 60
def _smart_approve(command: str, description: str) -> str:
"""Use the auxiliary LLM to assess risk and decide approval.
Returns 'approve' if the LLM determines the command is safe,
'deny' if genuinely dangerous, or 'escalate' if uncertain.
Inspired by OpenAI Codex's Smart Approvals guardian subagent
(openai/codex#13860).
"""
try:
from agent.auxiliary_client import get_text_auxiliary_client, auxiliary_max_tokens_param
client, model = get_text_auxiliary_client(task="approval")
if not client or not model:
logger.debug("Smart approvals: no aux client available, escalating")
return "escalate"
prompt = f"""You are a security reviewer for an AI coding agent. A terminal command was flagged by pattern matching as potentially dangerous.
Command: {command}
Flagged reason: {description}
Assess the ACTUAL risk of this command. Many flagged commands are false positives — for example, `python -c "print('hello')"` is flagged as "script execution via -c flag" but is completely harmless.
Rules:
- APPROVE if the command is clearly safe (benign script execution, safe file operations, development tools, package installs, git operations, etc.)
- DENY if the command could genuinely damage the system (recursive delete of important paths, overwriting system files, fork bombs, wiping disks, dropping databases, etc.)
- ESCALATE if you're uncertain
Respond with exactly one word: APPROVE, DENY, or ESCALATE"""
response = client.chat.completions.create(
model=model,
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": prompt}],
**auxiliary_max_tokens_param(16),
temperature=0,
)
answer = (response.choices[0].message.content or "").strip().upper()
if "APPROVE" in answer:
return "approve"
elif "DENY" in answer:
return "deny"
else:
return "escalate"
except Exception as e:
logger.debug("Smart approvals: LLM call failed (%s), escalating", e)
return "escalate"
def check_dangerous_command(command: str, env_type: str,
approval_callback=None) -> dict:
"""Check if a command is dangerous and handle approval.
This is the main entry point called by terminal_tool before executing
any command. It orchestrates detection, session checks, and prompting.
Args:
command: The shell command to check.
env_type: Terminal backend type ('local', 'ssh', 'docker', etc.).
approval_callback: Optional CLI callback for interactive prompts.
Returns:
{"approved": True/False, "message": str or None, ...}
"""
if env_type in ("docker", "singularity", "modal", "daytona"):
return {"approved": True, "message": None}
# --yolo: bypass all approval prompts
if os.getenv("HERMES_YOLO_MODE"):
return {"approved": True, "message": None}
is_dangerous, pattern_key, description = detect_dangerous_command(command)
if not is_dangerous:
return {"approved": True, "message": None}
session_key = os.getenv("HERMES_SESSION_KEY", "default")
if is_approved(session_key, pattern_key):
return {"approved": True, "message": None}
is_cli = os.getenv("HERMES_INTERACTIVE")
is_gateway = os.getenv("HERMES_GATEWAY_SESSION")
if not is_cli and not is_gateway:
return {"approved": True, "message": None}
if is_gateway or os.getenv("HERMES_EXEC_ASK"):
submit_pending(session_key, {
"command": command,
"pattern_key": pattern_key,
"description": description,
})
return {
"approved": False,
"pattern_key": pattern_key,
"status": "approval_required",
"command": command,
"description": description,
"message": (
f"⚠️ This command is potentially dangerous ({description}). "
f"Asking the user for approval.\n\n**Command:**\n```\n{command}\n```"
),
}
choice = prompt_dangerous_approval(command, description,
approval_callback=approval_callback)
if choice == "deny":
return {
"approved": False,
"message": f"BLOCKED: User denied this potentially dangerous command (matched '{description}' pattern). Do NOT retry this command - the user has explicitly rejected it.",
"pattern_key": pattern_key,
"description": description,
}
if choice == "session":
approve_session(session_key, pattern_key)
elif choice == "always":
approve_session(session_key, pattern_key)
approve_permanent(pattern_key)
save_permanent_allowlist(_permanent_approved)
return {"approved": True, "message": None}
# =========================================================================
# Combined pre-exec guard (tirith + dangerous command detection)
# =========================================================================
def _format_tirith_description(tirith_result: dict) -> str:
"""Build a human-readable description from tirith findings.
Includes severity, title, and description for each finding so users
can make an informed approval decision.
"""
findings = tirith_result.get("findings") or []
if not findings:
summary = tirith_result.get("summary") or "security issue detected"
return f"Security scan: {summary}"
parts = []
for f in findings:
severity = f.get("severity", "")
title = f.get("title", "")
desc = f.get("description", "")
if title and desc:
parts.append(f"[{severity}] {title}: {desc}" if severity else f"{title}: {desc}")
elif title:
parts.append(f"[{severity}] {title}" if severity else title)
if not parts:
summary = tirith_result.get("summary") or "security issue detected"
return f"Security scan: {summary}"
return "Security scan — " + "; ".join(parts)
def check_all_command_guards(command: str, env_type: str,
approval_callback=None) -> dict:
"""Run all pre-exec security checks and return a single approval decision.
Gathers findings from tirith and dangerous-command detection, then
presents them as a single combined approval request. This prevents
a gateway force=True replay from bypassing one check when only the
other was shown to the user.
"""
# Skip containers for both checks
if env_type in ("docker", "singularity", "modal", "daytona"):
return {"approved": True, "message": None}
# --yolo or approvals.mode=off: bypass all approval prompts
approval_mode = _get_approval_mode()
if os.getenv("HERMES_YOLO_MODE") or approval_mode == "off":
return {"approved": True, "message": None}
is_cli = os.getenv("HERMES_INTERACTIVE")
is_gateway = os.getenv("HERMES_GATEWAY_SESSION")
is_ask = os.getenv("HERMES_EXEC_ASK")
# Preserve the existing non-interactive behavior: outside CLI/gateway/ask
# flows, we do not block on approvals and we skip external guard work.
if not is_cli and not is_gateway and not is_ask:
return {"approved": True, "message": None}
# --- Phase 1: Gather findings from both checks ---
# Tirith check — wrapper guarantees no raise for expected failures.
# Only catch ImportError (module not installed).
tirith_result = {"action": "allow", "findings": [], "summary": ""}
try:
from tools.tirith_security import check_command_security
tirith_result = check_command_security(command)
except ImportError:
pass # tirith module not installed — allow
# Dangerous command check (detection only, no approval)
is_dangerous, pattern_key, description = detect_dangerous_command(command)
# --- Phase 2: Decide ---
# Collect warnings that need approval
warnings = [] # list of (pattern_key, description, is_tirith)
session_key = os.getenv("HERMES_SESSION_KEY", "default")
# Tirith block/warn → approvable warning with rich findings.
# Previously, tirith "block" was a hard block with no approval prompt.
# Now both block and warn go through the approval flow so users can
# inspect the explanation and approve if they understand the risk.
if tirith_result["action"] in ("block", "warn"):
findings = tirith_result.get("findings") or []
rule_id = findings[0].get("rule_id", "unknown") if findings else "unknown"
tirith_key = f"tirith:{rule_id}"
tirith_desc = _format_tirith_description(tirith_result)
if not is_approved(session_key, tirith_key):
warnings.append((tirith_key, tirith_desc, True))
if is_dangerous:
if not is_approved(session_key, pattern_key):
warnings.append((pattern_key, description, False))
# Nothing to warn about
if not warnings:
return {"approved": True, "message": None}
# --- Phase 2.5: Smart approval (auxiliary LLM risk assessment) ---
# When approvals.mode=smart, ask the aux LLM before prompting the user.
# Inspired by OpenAI Codex's Smart Approvals guardian subagent
# (openai/codex#13860).
if approval_mode == "smart":
combined_desc_for_llm = "; ".join(desc for _, desc, _ in warnings)
verdict = _smart_approve(command, combined_desc_for_llm)
if verdict == "approve":
# Auto-approve and grant session-level approval for these patterns
for key, _, _ in warnings:
approve_session(session_key, key)
logger.debug("Smart approval: auto-approved '%s' (%s)",
command[:60], combined_desc_for_llm)
return {"approved": True, "message": None,
"smart_approved": True}
elif verdict == "deny":
combined_desc_for_llm = "; ".join(desc for _, desc, _ in warnings)
return {
"approved": False,
"message": f"BLOCKED by smart approval: {combined_desc_for_llm}. "
"The command was assessed as genuinely dangerous. Do NOT retry.",
"smart_denied": True,
}
# verdict == "escalate" → fall through to manual prompt
# --- Phase 3: Approval ---
# Combine descriptions for a single approval prompt
combined_desc = "; ".join(desc for _, desc, _ in warnings)
primary_key = warnings[0][0]
all_keys = [key for key, _, _ in warnings]
has_tirith = any(is_t for _, _, is_t in warnings)
# Gateway/async: single approval_required with combined description
# Store all pattern keys so gateway replay approves all of them
if is_gateway or is_ask:
submit_pending(session_key, {
"command": command,
"pattern_key": primary_key, # backward compat
"pattern_keys": all_keys, # all keys for replay
"description": combined_desc,
})
return {
"approved": False,
"pattern_key": primary_key,
"status": "approval_required",
"command": command,
"description": combined_desc,
"message": (
f"⚠️ {combined_desc}. Asking the user for approval.\n\n**Command:**\n```\n{command}\n```"
),
}
# CLI interactive: single combined prompt
# Hide [a]lways when any tirith warning is present
choice = prompt_dangerous_approval(command, combined_desc,
allow_permanent=not has_tirith,
approval_callback=approval_callback)
if choice == "deny":
return {
"approved": False,
"message": "BLOCKED: User denied. Do NOT retry.",
"pattern_key": primary_key,
"description": combined_desc,
}
# Persist approval for each warning individually
for key, _, is_tirith in warnings:
if choice == "session" or (choice == "always" and is_tirith):
# tirith: session only (no permanent broad allowlisting)
approve_session(session_key, key)
elif choice == "always":
# dangerous patterns: permanent allowed
approve_session(session_key, key)
approve_permanent(key)
save_permanent_allowlist(_permanent_approved)
return {"approved": True, "message": None}