From 3256b16039f3ffdec34e5c97761cc4f5d31f96a7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mahima Shanware <mahima.shanware@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 2026 21:53:10 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] fix(core): mitigate TOCTOU vulnerability in plan directory
 creation

This change addresses a critical security review finding regarding a Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) vulnerability.

Previously, plan directory paths were validated using `isSubpath` before creation. However, an attacker could potentially replace a path component with a symlink pointing outside the project root exactly between validation and creation.

By resolving the physical path *after* `fs.mkdirSync` using `resolveToRealPath` and then verifying it with `isSubpath`, we ensure that the actual directory created on disk resides safely within the workspace. Any violation results in a warning, and the malicious path is prevented from being added to the agent's `workspaceContext`.
---
 packages/core/src/config/config.test.ts | 40 +++++++++++++++++++++++++
 packages/core/src/config/config.ts      |  8 +++++
 2 files changed, 48 insertions(+)

diff --git a/packages/core/src/config/config.test.ts b/packages/core/src/config/config.test.ts
index 4505b0bd2e..ba3a936e7e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/config/config.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/config/config.test.ts
@@ -3367,6 +3367,46 @@ describe('Plans Directory Initialization', () => {
     warnSpy.mockRestore();
   });
 
+  it('should log a warning if the resolved plan directory is outside the project root (TOCTOU security violation)', async () => {
+    const warnSpy = vi.spyOn(console, 'warn').mockImplementation(() => {});
+
+    let isMalicious = false;
+    vi.spyOn(fs, 'mkdirSync').mockImplementation(() => {
+      // Simulate an attacker creating a symlink right after the initial check but before/during creation
+      isMalicious = true;
+      return undefined;
+    });
+
+    // When Config.getPlansDir calls resolveToRealPath AFTER creation, it resolves to an outside path.
+    const realpathSpy = vi
+      .spyOn(fs, 'realpathSync')
+      .mockImplementation((p: fs.PathLike) => {
+        const pStr = p.toString();
+        if (isMalicious && pStr.includes('plans'))
+          return '/outside/the/project/root/plans';
+        return pStr;
+      });
+
+    const config = new Config({
+      ...baseParams,
+      plan: true,
+    });
+
+    await config.initialize();
+    try {
+      config.getPlansDir();
+    } finally {
+      realpathSpy.mockRestore();
+    }
+
+    expect(warnSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringMatching(
+        /Security violation: Resolved plan directory.*is outside the project root/,
+      ),
+    );
+    warnSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
   it('should log a warning if mkdirSync fails during getPlansDir (e.g. EACCES)', async () => {
     const warnSpy = vi.spyOn(console, 'warn').mockImplementation(() => {});
     vi.spyOn(fs, 'mkdirSync').mockImplementation(() => {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/config/config.ts b/packages/core/src/config/config.ts
index b67d9588b3..684f9a93ef 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/config/config.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/config/config.ts
@@ -2269,6 +2269,14 @@ export class Config implements McpContext, AgentLoopContext {
       fs.mkdirSync(plansDir, { recursive: true });
 
       const realPlansDir = resolveToRealPath(plansDir);
+      const realProjectRoot = resolveToRealPath(this.getTargetDir());
+
+      if (!isSubpath(realProjectRoot, realPlansDir)) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `Security violation: Resolved plan directory '${realPlansDir}' is outside the project root '${realProjectRoot}'.`,
+        );
+      }
+
       this.workspaceContext.addDirectory(realPlansDir);
       this.initializedPlanDirs.set(plansDir, true);
     } catch (e: unknown) {