feat(learning-harness): canary snippets and the second judge

Task 2.7. A canary is how a family says the vulnerability fired. Injection
plants a row in an in-memory database that only an unconstrained query returns,
file path plants a file under the scratch mount that only a traversal reaches,
and deserialization plants an object that only an unsafe load reconstructs. Each
prints its token on that path and no other, and the token is derived from the
claim, so one family's oracle can never answer for another and one claim's
canary can never answer for the next. A snippet that cannot reach the function
prints nothing, which is a suspicion rather than a proof.

Every template passes the existing snippet safety check before it can run, and
the candidate is always imported from the read-only source mount.

Nothing reaches proven on a machine's say-so alone. A second, independent
judgement reads the snippet and what the sandbox printed and either confirms or
drops the claim back to corroboration; a judge that cannot answer never promotes
anything. The judge is told the claim and the output, never the answer key.
Templates and oracle code live in the package, outside every directory a round
may write.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 (1M context) <[email protected]>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01T7XD7x5KonMdmGRkp63EQG
This commit is contained in:
Marius Ciepluch
2026-09-06 10:06:57 +02:00
co-authored by Claude Opus 5
parent 9801d5407b
commit 0c2b9ec685
3 changed files with 340 additions and 8 deletions
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"""Canary snippets and the second judge (learning-harness, Req 7.2, 7.5).
A canary is how a family says "the vulnerability fired": a snippet plants a marker only the
vulnerability can reveal, and the token appearing in the sandbox output is the oracle. A row in an
in-memory database that only an unconstrained query returns, a file under the scratch mount that only
a traversal reaches, an object that only an unsafe load reconstructs. The token is derived from the
claim, so one family's oracle can never answer for another and one claim's canary can never answer for
the next.
Nothing reaches `proven` on a machine's say-so alone: a second, independent judgement reads the snippet
and what the sandbox printed and either confirms or drops the claim back to corroboration. Templates
and oracle code live in the package, outside every directory a round may write.
"""
from __future__ import annotations
import hashlib
import json
from dataclasses import dataclass
from pathlib import Path
from ..config import SandboxConfig
from ..findings import StaticFinding
from ..regress.candidate import DEFAULT_IMAGES, RegressionRunner
from ..regress.verdict import TRIGGERABLE
from ..sandbox.runner import WORKSPACE_MOUNT, SandboxRunner
from ..tool_hunter import ChatClient
from .verifiers import Verification, VerifierKind, token_oracle
_TOKEN_PREFIX = "ousast-canary-"
_JUDGE_SYSTEM = (
"You check one security claim against what a sandbox actually printed. "
'Answer with JSON only: {"confirms": true|false, "reason": "<one sentence>"}. '
"Confirm only when the printed output can be explained by the claimed vulnerability and by nothing else."
)
def canary_token(family: str, path: str, function: str) -> str:
"""A token unique to this claim, so an oracle can only be satisfied by its own canary."""
digest = hashlib.sha256(f"{family}|{path}|{function}".encode()).hexdigest()[:12]
return f"{_TOKEN_PREFIX}{digest}"
def render_canary(family: str, *, language: str, path: str, function: str) -> tuple[str, str] | None:
"""The snippet that plants this family's canary and the token that proves it fired, or None."""
template = _TEMPLATES.get((family, language))
if template is None:
return None
token = canary_token(family, path, function)
module = path.replace("\\", "/")
snippet = template.format(token=token, workspace=WORKSPACE_MOUNT, module=module, function=function)
return snippet, token
@dataclass(frozen=True)
class CanaryVerifier:
"""Runs a family's canary in the sandbox and lets only its own token count as proof."""
runner: SandboxRunner
limits: SandboxConfig
images: dict[str, str] | None = None
kind: VerifierKind = "canary"
def verify(self, claim: StaticFinding, *, root: Path, language: str) -> Verification:
family = next((tag.split(":", 1)[1] for tag in claim.tags if tag.startswith("family:")), "")
rendered = render_canary(family, language=language, path=claim.path, function=claim.function_name or "")
if rendered is None:
return Verification(rung="suspicion", reason="no_template")
snippet, token = rendered
images = self.images or dict(DEFAULT_IMAGES)
verdict = RegressionRunner(self.runner).run_recipe(
language, snippet, images.get(language, "ousast-missing-image"), self.limits, repo_root=root, oracle=token_oracle(token)
)
if verdict.verdict == TRIGGERABLE:
return Verification(rung="proven", reason="oracle_fired", oracle_output=token)
return Verification(rung="suspicion", reason="oracle_quiet" if verdict.reason == "oracle_quiet" else verdict.reason)
def confirm_proven(
verification: Verification, claim: StaticFinding, *, client: ChatClient | None, model: str, snippet: str
) -> Verification:
"""Req 7.5: a claim is published as proven only when a second, independent judgement agrees."""
if verification.rung != "proven":
return verification
if client is None or not model:
return Verification(rung="static_corroboration", reason="judge_unavailable", oracle_output=verification.oracle_output)
question = (
f"Claim: {claim.title}. {claim.rationale[:400]}\n"
f"Location: {claim.path} line {claim.line}, function {claim.function_name}.\n\n"
f"Snippet that was run:\n{snippet}\n\nWhat the sandbox printed:\n{verification.oracle_output}\n\n"
"Does that output demonstrate the claim? Answer as JSON."
)
messages: list[dict[str, object]] = [{"role": "system", "content": _JUDGE_SYSTEM}, {"role": "user", "content": question}]
try:
response = client.complete(model=model, messages=messages, tools=[], json_object=True) # type: ignore[call-arg]
except TypeError:
response = client.complete(model=model, messages=messages, tools=[])
except Exception: # noqa: BLE001 — a judge that cannot answer must not promote a claim
return Verification(rung="static_corroboration", reason="judge_unavailable", oracle_output=verification.oracle_output)
if _confirms(response.content):
return verification
return Verification(rung="static_corroboration", reason="judge_declined", oracle_output=verification.oracle_output)
def _confirms(content: str | None) -> bool:
if not isinstance(content, str) or "{" not in content:
return False
try:
payload = json.loads(content[content.index("{") : content.rindex("}") + 1])
except (ValueError, json.JSONDecodeError):
return False
return isinstance(payload, dict) and payload.get("confirms") is True
# Templates are data, not prose: each plants a marker only its own vulnerability can reveal, imports the
# candidate from the read-only source mount, and prints the token on that path alone. A snippet that
# cannot reach the function prints nothing, which is a suspicion, not a proof.
_PYTHON_INJECTION = """# canary: an unconstrained query returns a row the caller never asked for
import sqlite3, sys
sys.path.insert(0, {workspace!r})
CANARY = {token!r}
connection = sqlite3.connect(":memory:")
connection.execute("create table secrets (name text)")
connection.execute("insert into secrets values (?)", (CANARY,))
connection.commit()
try:
import importlib.util
spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("candidate", {workspace!r} + "/" + {module!r})
module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
spec.loader.exec_module(module)
handler = getattr(module, {function!r}, None)
payload = "x' OR '1'='1"
result = handler(payload) if callable(handler) else None
if CANARY in str(result):
print("CANARY", CANARY)
except Exception as error:
print("canary could not reach the function:", type(error).__name__)
"""
_PYTHON_PATH = """# canary: a traversal reads a file the handler was never meant to open
import sys
sys.path.insert(0, {workspace!r})
CANARY = {token!r}
with open("/scratch/canary.txt", "w", encoding="utf-8") as handle:
handle.write(CANARY)
try:
import importlib.util
spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("candidate", {workspace!r} + "/" + {module!r})
module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
spec.loader.exec_module(module)
handler = getattr(module, {function!r}, None)
result = handler("../../scratch/canary.txt") if callable(handler) else None
if CANARY in str(result):
print("CANARY", CANARY)
except Exception as error:
print("canary could not reach the function:", type(error).__name__)
"""
_PYTHON_DESERIALIZATION = """# canary: an unsafe load reconstructs an object that announces itself
import pickle, sys
sys.path.insert(0, {workspace!r})
CANARY = {token!r}
class Marker:
def __reduce__(self):
return (print, ("CANARY", CANARY))
blob = pickle.dumps(Marker())
try:
import importlib.util
spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("candidate", {workspace!r} + "/" + {module!r})
module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
spec.loader.exec_module(module)
handler = getattr(module, {function!r}, None)
if callable(handler):
handler(blob)
except Exception as error:
print("canary could not reach the function:", type(error).__name__)
"""
_TEMPLATES: dict[tuple[str, str], str] = {
("injection", "python"): _PYTHON_INJECTION,
("path", "python"): _PYTHON_PATH,
("deserialization", "python"): _PYTHON_DESERIALIZATION,
}
__all__ = ["CanaryVerifier", "canary_token", "confirm_proven", "render_canary"]
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from __future__ import annotations
import json
from collections.abc import Mapping, Sequence
from collections.abc import Callable, Mapping, Sequence
from dataclasses import asdict, dataclass, replace
from pathlib import Path
@@ -131,24 +131,23 @@ class RegressionRunner:
sandbox_limits: SandboxConfig,
*,
repo_root: Path,
oracle: Callable[[SandboxResult], bool] | None = None,
) -> RegressionVerdict:
job = recipe_for(language, snippet, image, sandbox_limits, repo_root=repo_root)
if job is None:
return verdict_from_result(recipe_missing=True)
return self.run_snippet(snippet, job)
return self.run_snippet(snippet, job, oracle=oracle)
def run_snippet(self, snippet: str, job: SandboxJob | None) -> RegressionVerdict:
def run_snippet(
self, snippet: str, job: SandboxJob | None, *, oracle: Callable[[SandboxResult], bool] | None = None
) -> RegressionVerdict:
if job is None:
return verdict_from_result(recipe_missing=True)
try:
check_snippet_safety(snippet)
except UnsafeSnippetError:
return verdict_from_result(safety_rejected=True)
return _verdict_from_result(self._sandbox.run(job))
def _verdict_from_result(result: SandboxResult) -> RegressionVerdict:
return verdict_from_result(result)
return verdict_from_result(self._sandbox.run(job), oracle=oracle)
def snippet_for(language: str, path: str, function_name: str | None) -> str:
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"""learning-harness task 2.7: canary templates and the second judge (offline)."""
from __future__ import annotations
import json
from pathlib import Path
from openultrasast.config import SandboxConfig
from openultrasast.findings import StaticFinding
from openultrasast.learning.families import load_families
from openultrasast.regress.safety import check_snippet_safety
from openultrasast.sandbox import SandboxResult
from openultrasast.sandbox.runner import FakeSandboxRunner
from openultrasast.tool_hunter import ChatResponse, ScriptedChatClient
CANARY_FAMILIES = ("injection", "path", "deserialization")
def _claim(family: str, function: str = "lookup", line: int = 3) -> StaticFinding:
return StaticFinding(
finding_id=f"detector:app.py:{line}",
path="app.py",
title="t",
severity="high",
confidence="low",
evidence_level="suspicion",
rationale="r",
line=line,
function_name=function,
reachability_status="unknown",
reachability_evidence=[],
reachability_conditions=[],
tags=[f"family:{family}"],
ranking_priority=0.0,
)
def test_every_canary_template_renders_and_passes_the_snippet_safety_check() -> None:
from openultrasast.learning.canaries import render_canary
for family in CANARY_FAMILIES:
snippet, token = render_canary(family, language="python", path="app.py", function="lookup")
assert token and token in snippet
check_snippet_safety(snippet) # raises when the template would be refused before it ever runs
assert "/workspace" in snippet # the candidate is imported from the read-only source mount
assert render_canary("memory", language="python", path="app.py", function="f") is None
assert render_canary("injection", language="rust", path="a.rs", function="f") is None
def test_a_canary_token_is_unique_per_claim_so_one_family_never_answers_for_another() -> None:
from openultrasast.learning.canaries import render_canary
first = render_canary("injection", language="python", path="app.py", function="lookup")
second = render_canary("injection", language="python", path="app.py", function="other")
third = render_canary("path", language="python", path="app.py", function="lookup")
assert first and second and third
assert first[1] != second[1] != third[1] and first[1] != third[1]
def test_the_canary_verifier_proves_only_when_the_oracle_fires(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
from openultrasast.learning.canaries import CanaryVerifier
(tmp_path / "app.py").write_text("def lookup(value):\n return value\n")
fired = CanaryVerifier(runner=_runner(lambda token: SandboxResult(0, f"CANARY {token}", "", False)), limits=SandboxConfig())
proven = fired.verify(_claim("injection"), root=tmp_path, language="python")
assert proven.rung == "proven" and proven.reason == "oracle_fired"
quiet = CanaryVerifier(runner=_runner(lambda _t: SandboxResult(1, "boom", "Traceback", False)), limits=SandboxConfig())
unproven = quiet.verify(_claim("injection"), root=tmp_path, language="python")
assert unproven.rung == "suspicion" and unproven.reason == "oracle_quiet" # a crash is not this family's evidence
def test_a_family_or_language_with_no_template_stays_at_suspicion(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
from openultrasast.learning.canaries import CanaryVerifier
(tmp_path / "app.py").write_text("def lookup(value):\n return value\n")
verifier = CanaryVerifier(runner=_runner(lambda token: SandboxResult(0, token, "", False)), limits=SandboxConfig())
assert verifier.verify(_claim("memory"), root=tmp_path, language="python").reason == "no_template"
assert verifier.verify(_claim("injection"), root=tmp_path, language="rust").reason == "no_template"
def test_the_registry_uses_the_canary_verifier_when_one_is_supplied(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
from openultrasast.learning.canaries import CanaryVerifier
from openultrasast.learning.verifiers import NoVerifier, verifier_for
taxonomy = load_families()
canary = CanaryVerifier(runner=_runner(lambda token: SandboxResult(0, token, "", False)), limits=SandboxConfig())
assert verifier_for(taxonomy.by_id("injection"), canary=canary) is canary
assert isinstance(verifier_for(taxonomy.by_id("access_control"), canary=canary), type(verifier_for(taxonomy.by_id("access_control"))))
assert isinstance(verifier_for(taxonomy.by_id("memory"), canary=canary), NoVerifier)
def test_nothing_is_published_as_proven_until_a_second_judge_confirms() -> None:
from openultrasast.learning.canaries import confirm_proven
from openultrasast.learning.verifiers import Verification
proven = Verification(rung="proven", reason="oracle_fired", oracle_output="CANARY abc")
agrees = ScriptedChatClient([ChatResponse(content=json.dumps({"confirms": True, "reason": "the row came back"}))])
kept = confirm_proven(proven, _claim("injection"), client=agrees, model="judge", snippet="print('x')")
assert kept.rung == "proven"
declines = ScriptedChatClient([ChatResponse(content=json.dumps({"confirms": False, "reason": "unrelated output"}))])
dropped = confirm_proven(proven, _claim("injection"), client=declines, model="judge", snippet="print('x')")
assert dropped.rung == "static_corroboration" and dropped.reason == "judge_declined"
assert confirm_proven(proven, _claim("injection"), client=None, model="", snippet="x").rung == "static_corroboration"
lower = Verification(rung="suspicion", reason="oracle_quiet")
assert confirm_proven(lower, _claim("injection"), client=agrees, model="judge", snippet="x") is lower # nothing to confirm
def test_the_judge_sees_the_snippet_and_the_oracle_output_and_never_the_label() -> None:
from openultrasast.learning.canaries import confirm_proven
from openultrasast.learning.verifiers import Verification
client = ScriptedChatClient([ChatResponse(content=json.dumps({"confirms": True, "reason": "ok"}))])
confirm_proven(
Verification(rung="proven", reason="oracle_fired", oracle_output="CANARY abc"),
_claim("injection"),
client=client,
model="judge",
snippet="print('CANARY abc')",
)
prompt = json.dumps(client.calls[0]["messages"])
assert "CANARY abc" in prompt and "print('CANARY abc')" in prompt
assert client.calls[0].get("json_object") is True and client.calls[0]["tools"] == []
assert "family:injection" not in prompt # the judge is told the claim, not the answer key
def test_templates_and_oracle_code_live_outside_every_proposer_write_root(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
from openultrasast.learning import canaries
from openultrasast.learning.detectors import write_default_configs
write_roots = set(write_default_configs(tmp_path, load_families(), prompt="p", version="0").values())
module = Path(canaries.__file__).resolve()
assert not any(module.is_relative_to(root.resolve()) for root in write_roots)
assert "site-packages" in str(module) or "src/openultrasast" in str(module)
def _runner(reply: object) -> FakeSandboxRunner:
"""A sandbox that answers from whatever canary token the snippet actually planted."""
class _Runner(FakeSandboxRunner): # type: ignore[misc]
def run(self, spec: object) -> SandboxResult:
body = "\n".join(str(value) for value in (getattr(spec, "scratch_files", {}) or {}).values())
marker = next((word.strip("'\"") for word in body.split() if "ousast-canary-" in word), "ousast-canary-none")
return reply(marker) # type: ignore[operator]
return _Runner()