fix(file_tools): refuse plain-text writes that corrupt binary documents

Port from nearai/ironclaw#7109: read_file auto-extracts .docx/.xlsx/.pptx
(and PDF via anydoc) to readable text, so a model plausibly believes it
holds the file's contents and writes the edited text back with
write_file/patch — silently destroying the document container. Proven
live on main: write_file over a valid .docx left a non-zip corpse, and a
text write over an existing .pdf clobbered the %PDF header.

- tools/binary_extensions.py: OPAQUE_DOCUMENT_EXTENSIONS +
  has_opaque_document_extension() + is_pdf_path() (pure string checks)
- tools/file_tools.py: _check_binary_document_write() — opaque container
  formats (doc/docx/xls/xlsx/ppt/pptx/odt/ods/odp) always rejected; .pdf
  rejected only when overwriting an existing regular file (new-PDF
  creation stays allowed, matching the upstream split guard). Wired into
  write_file_tool and patch_tool (replace + V4A Update/Add headers;
  Delete/Move skip the guard since they write no text).
- tests/tools/test_binary_document_write_guard.py: guard unit tests +
  end-to-end write_file/patch coverage incl. bytes-untouched assertions.
This commit is contained in:
Teknium 2026-08-09 17:09:46 -07:00
parent 3bd844edf1
commit 9b8e631241
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3 changed files with 263 additions and 2 deletions

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@ -0,0 +1,172 @@
"""Tests for the binary-document write guard (port of nearai/ironclaw#7109).
A plain-text write can never produce a valid OOXML/OLE/ODF container, so
write_file/patch must refuse to write text into .docx/.xlsx/.pptx (and
friends), and must refuse to OVERWRITE an existing .pdf while still
allowing new-.pdf creation (raw PDF syntax is text-authorable).
"""
import json
import zipfile
from pathlib import Path
from tools.binary_extensions import (
has_opaque_document_extension,
is_pdf_path,
)
from tools.file_tools import (
_check_binary_document_write,
patch_tool,
write_file_tool,
)
def _make_minimal_docx(path: Path) -> None:
with zipfile.ZipFile(path, "w") as z:
z.writestr(
"[Content_Types].xml",
'<?xml version="1.0"?><Types xmlns="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/'
'package/2006/content-types"><Default Extension="xml" '
'ContentType="application/xml"/></Types>',
)
z.writestr(
"word/document.xml",
'<?xml version="1.0"?><w:document xmlns:w="http://schemas.'
'openxmlformats.org/wordprocessingml/2006/main"><w:body><w:p><w:r>'
"<w:t>Quarterly numbers look good.</w:t></w:r></w:p></w:body>"
"</w:document>",
)
class TestExtensionHelpers:
def test_opaque_document_extensions(self):
for p in ("a.docx", "b.XLSX", "c.pptx", "d.doc", "e.odt", "f.ods", "g.odp"):
assert has_opaque_document_extension(p) is True
def test_non_opaque_paths(self):
for p in ("a.txt", "b.py", "c.pdf", "d.md", "noext", "e.csv"):
assert has_opaque_document_extension(p) is False
def test_is_pdf_path(self):
assert is_pdf_path("report.pdf") is True
assert is_pdf_path("report.PDF") is True
assert is_pdf_path("report.txt") is False
class TestCheckBinaryDocumentWrite:
def test_docx_always_rejected(self, tmp_path: Path):
# Even a NON-existing docx is rejected — text can't be a valid container.
err = _check_binary_document_write(str(tmp_path / "new.docx"))
assert err is not None
assert ".docx" in err
def test_existing_pdf_rejected(self, tmp_path: Path):
pdf = tmp_path / "doc.pdf"
pdf.write_bytes(b"%PDF-1.4\n%%EOF\n")
err = _check_binary_document_write(str(pdf))
assert err is not None
assert "overwrite" in err.lower()
def test_new_pdf_allowed(self, tmp_path: Path):
assert _check_binary_document_write(str(tmp_path / "fresh.pdf")) is None
def test_plain_text_allowed(self, tmp_path: Path):
assert _check_binary_document_write(str(tmp_path / "notes.txt")) is None
class TestWriteFileToolGuard:
def test_write_file_rejects_existing_docx(self, tmp_path: Path):
docx = tmp_path / "report.docx"
_make_minimal_docx(docx)
original = docx.read_bytes()
result = json.loads(write_file_tool(str(docx), "edited text"))
assert result.get("error"), "text write into .docx must be refused"
assert docx.read_bytes() == original, "document bytes must be untouched"
assert zipfile.is_zipfile(docx), "document must remain a valid container"
def test_write_file_rejects_new_docx(self, tmp_path: Path):
result = json.loads(write_file_tool(str(tmp_path / "new.docx"), "hello"))
assert result.get("error")
assert not (tmp_path / "new.docx").exists()
def test_write_file_rejects_existing_pdf_overwrite(self, tmp_path: Path):
pdf = tmp_path / "doc.pdf"
pdf.write_bytes(b"%PDF-1.4\n1 0 obj\nendobj\n%%EOF\n")
original = pdf.read_bytes()
result = json.loads(write_file_tool(str(pdf), "replacement text"))
assert result.get("error")
assert pdf.read_bytes() == original
def test_write_file_allows_new_pdf_creation(self, tmp_path: Path):
pdf = tmp_path / "generated.pdf"
result = json.loads(write_file_tool(str(pdf), "%PDF-1.4\n%%EOF\n"))
assert not result.get("error")
assert pdf.exists()
def test_write_file_plain_text_unaffected(self, tmp_path: Path):
target = tmp_path / "notes.txt"
result = json.loads(write_file_tool(str(target), "hello world"))
assert not result.get("error")
assert target.read_text() == "hello world"
class TestPatchToolGuard:
def test_patch_replace_rejects_docx(self, tmp_path: Path):
docx = tmp_path / "report.docx"
_make_minimal_docx(docx)
original = docx.read_bytes()
result = json.loads(
patch_tool(mode="replace", path=str(docx),
old_string="good", new_string="great")
)
assert result.get("error")
assert docx.read_bytes() == original
def test_patch_v4a_update_rejects_docx(self, tmp_path: Path):
docx = tmp_path / "report.docx"
_make_minimal_docx(docx)
original = docx.read_bytes()
v4a = (
"*** Begin Patch\n"
f"*** Update File: {docx}\n"
"@@\n"
"-good\n"
"+great\n"
"*** End Patch"
)
result = json.loads(patch_tool(mode="patch", patch=v4a))
assert result.get("error")
assert docx.read_bytes() == original
def test_patch_v4a_delete_of_docx_not_blocked_by_guard(self, tmp_path: Path):
# Delete doesn't write text content — the binary-document guard must
# not fire for it (delete may still fail/succeed for other reasons).
docx = tmp_path / "old.docx"
_make_minimal_docx(docx)
v4a = (
"*** Begin Patch\n"
f"*** Delete File: {docx}\n"
"*** End Patch"
)
result = json.loads(patch_tool(mode="patch", patch=v4a))
err = result.get("error") or ""
assert "binary document" not in err.lower()
def test_patch_replace_plain_text_unaffected(self, tmp_path: Path):
target = tmp_path / "notes.txt"
target.write_text("hello world")
result = json.loads(
patch_tool(mode="replace", path=str(target),
old_string="world", new_string="there")
)
assert not result.get("error")
assert target.read_text() == "hello there"

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@ -40,3 +40,32 @@ def has_binary_extension(path: str) -> bool:
if dot == -1:
return False
return path[dot:].lower() in BINARY_EXTENSIONS
# Container document formats (OOXML zip / OLE compound / ODF zip) that a
# plain-text write can NEVER produce validly. read_file auto-extracts these
# to readable text, so a model that "read" report.docx and then writes the
# edited text back via write_file/patch silently destroys the document.
# PDF is intentionally NOT here: raw PDF syntax is text-authorable, so
# new-file creation is legitimate — only overwrites are dangerous (handled
# separately by the write guard).
OPAQUE_DOCUMENT_EXTENSIONS = frozenset({
".doc", ".docx", ".xls", ".xlsx", ".ppt", ".pptx",
".odt", ".ods", ".odp",
})
def has_opaque_document_extension(path: str) -> bool:
"""True when the path names an opaque container document (.docx etc.).
Pure string check, no I/O.
"""
dot = path.rfind(".")
if dot == -1:
return False
return path[dot:].lower() in OPAQUE_DOCUMENT_EXTENSIONS
def is_pdf_path(path: str) -> bool:
"""True when the path has a .pdf extension. Pure string check, no I/O."""
return path.lower().endswith(".pdf")

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@ -2048,6 +2048,52 @@ def _mark_verification_stale(
logger.debug("verification stale marker failed", exc_info=True)
def _check_binary_document_write(filepath: str, task_id: str = "default") -> str | None:
"""Reject text-tool writes that would corrupt a binary document.
``read_file`` auto-extracts .docx/.xlsx/.pptx (and PDF, via anydoc) to
readable text, so the model plausibly believes it holds the file's
contents and tries to write the edited text back with write_file/patch.
A plain-text write can never produce a valid OOXML/OLE/ODF container, so
that write silently destroys the document (port of nearai/ironclaw#7109).
Rules:
- Opaque container formats (.doc/.docx/.xls/.xlsx/.ppt/.pptx/.odt/.ods/
.odp): always rejected text bytes are never a valid document, whether
creating or overwriting.
- .pdf: rejected only when OVERWRITING an existing regular file. Raw PDF
syntax is text-authorable, so new-file creation stays allowed.
"""
from tools.binary_extensions import has_opaque_document_extension, is_pdf_path
if has_opaque_document_extension(filepath):
ext = filepath[filepath.rfind("."):].lower()
return (
f"Refusing to write plain text to binary document '{filepath}' ({ext}). "
"A text write cannot produce a valid document container and would "
"corrupt the file (read_file showed you EXTRACTED text, not the real "
"bytes). Use the docx/xlsx/powerpoint skills or a library like "
"python-docx/openpyxl/python-pptx via the terminal to create or edit "
"this document."
)
if is_pdf_path(filepath):
try:
resolved = Path(_resolve_path_for_task(filepath, task_id))
except Exception:
resolved = Path(_expand_tilde(filepath))
try:
if resolved.is_file():
return (
f"Refusing to overwrite existing PDF '{filepath}' with plain text. "
"read_file showed you EXTRACTED text, not the real bytes — writing "
"text back would destroy the document. Use the pdf skill or a PDF "
"library via the terminal to modify it. (Creating a NEW .pdf file "
"is allowed.)"
)
except OSError:
pass
return None
def write_file_tool(path: str, content: str, task_id: str = "default",
cross_profile: bool = False,
session_id: str | None = None) -> str:
@ -2062,6 +2108,9 @@ def write_file_tool(path: str, content: str, task_id: str = "default",
sensitive_err = _check_sensitive_path(path, task_id)
if sensitive_err:
return tool_error(sensitive_err)
binary_doc_err = _check_binary_document_write(path, task_id)
if binary_doc_err:
return tool_error(binary_doc_err)
protected_err = _check_protected_instruction_write([path], task_id)
if protected_err:
return tool_error(protected_err)
@ -2146,8 +2195,12 @@ def patch_tool(mode: str = "replace", path: str = None, old_string: str = None,
"""
# Check sensitive paths for both replace (explicit path) and V4A patch (extract paths)
_paths_to_check = []
# Paths whose CONTENT will be text-written (Update/Add + explicit path).
# V4A Delete/Move don't write text, so they skip the binary-document guard.
_content_write_paths = []
if path:
_paths_to_check.append(path)
_content_write_paths.append(path)
if mode == "patch" and patch:
import re as _re
from tools.path_security import has_traversal_component
@ -2173,12 +2226,15 @@ def patch_tool(mode: str = "replace", path: str = None, old_string: str = None,
# it accepts ``***Update File:`` with no space after the asterisks
# (patch_parser.py uses ``\*\*\*\s*Update\s+File:``). Requiring a space
# here let a no-space header parse + apply while skipping this check.
for _m in _re.finditer(r'^\*\*\*\s*(?:Update|Add|Delete)\s+File:\s*(.+)$', patch, _re.MULTILINE):
v4a_path = _m.group(1).strip()
for _m in _re.finditer(r'^\*\*\*\s*(Update|Add|Delete)\s+File:\s*(.+)$', patch, _re.MULTILINE):
_op = _m.group(1)
v4a_path = _m.group(2).strip()
_err = _reject_v4a_traversal(v4a_path)
if _err:
return _err
_paths_to_check.append(v4a_path)
if _op in ("Update", "Add"):
_content_write_paths.append(v4a_path)
# ``*** Move File: src -> dst`` is a valid V4A op (patch_parser.py:114)
# but was never extracted, so a Move targeting /etc/crontab skipped the
# sensitive-path pre-check. Check BOTH endpoints, and run them through
@ -2197,6 +2253,10 @@ def patch_tool(mode: str = "replace", path: str = None, old_string: str = None,
cross_warning = _check_cross_profile_path(_p, task_id)
if cross_warning:
return tool_error(cross_warning)
for _p in _content_write_paths:
binary_doc_err = _check_binary_document_write(_p, task_id)
if binary_doc_err:
return tool_error(binary_doc_err)
# One approval prompt for the whole patch: a single protected file gates
# the ENTIRE patch (deny applies nothing — see the helper's docstring).
protected_err = _check_protected_instruction_write(_paths_to_check, task_id)