# 09 — Pairing, Auth & Security

## 9.1 Threat model

- **Trusted domain:** a personal agent on the user's own machine; one owner, a
  few of their own devices (phone + desktop).
- **Primary risks:** (a) an unauthorized device connecting to the WS and
  reading/driving the agent; (b) eavesdropping on the WS in transit; (c) token
  leakage in logs; (d) arbitrary file read via media pull.
- **Not addressing (v1):** multi-tenant isolation, adversarial multi-user abuse,
  E2E encryption.

## 9.2 Pairing flow

1. **Generate a token.** `hermes gateway setup` (our `interactive_setup`) either
   uses an existing `IRIS_TOKEN` or generates a fresh high-entropy token
   (e.g. 32 bytes → 64 hex chars) and stores it in `.env`.
2. **Present to the app.** Two options:
   - **QR code:** the setup prints a QR encoding
     `iris://pair?host=<lan-ip>&port=8791&secure=0&token=<token>` (or a WSS
     URL when `secure=1`). The phone scans it with the app's **Scan QR**
     button (or a system scanner → `iris://pair` deep link) → pre-fills
     settings.
   - **Manual:** user types the server URL + token in the app's Connect screen.
3. **App connects.** First WS frame is `hello {token, device_id, device_name,
   caps, fcm_token?}`.
4. **Server verifies.** Constant-time compare of `token` vs `IRIS_TOKEN`
   (`hmac.compare_digest`). Optionally check `device_id` against
   `IRIS_ALLOWED_USERS` (if set) or `IRIS_ALLOW_ALL_USERS`.
5. **On success:** register the device in `devices.db`, **mint its
   per-device token** (if it has none yet) and return it in
   `hello.ack.device_token`. **On failure:** send `error {code:"auth"}`
   and close.

`device_id` is a stable, app-generated UUID (persisted in the app's
secure storage). It identifies the device for routing + push, **not** as a
security principal (the token is).

## 9.3 Auth model

- **Two tokens, one principal per device.**
  - **Shared `IRIS_TOKEN` (bootstrap):** the setup token from
    `hermes gateway setup`. It authorizes *pairing* — a NEW device (no row
    in `devices.db` yet) presents it to connect, and the gateway mints a
    per-device token for it (returned in `hello.ack.device_token`). It
    keeps working for devices that never received a per-device token
    (legacy apps), so an upgrade never bricks a pairing.
  - **Per-device token (revocable):** minted once at pairing
    (`DeviceRegistry.issue_token`, 64 hex chars, stored in the `devices`
    table of `devices.db`). The app stores it in secure storage and
    presents it INSTEAD of the shared token from the next request on
    (`Authorization: Bearer <device-token>`). Both tokens are compared in
    constant time (`verify_token`); a revoked device is rejected before
    either comparison runs.
- **Per-device revocation.** Two control surfaces (run on the gateway host):
  - **Setup flow** — `hermes gateway setup` → *Iris*: on an existing setup
    (devices already paired) it asks **"Remove a paired device?"** (default
    No). If yes: a numbered select menu (name, device id, last seen) whose
    LAST option is *Exit* (leaves the removal loop, continues the setup);
    picking a device asks for confirmation, then returns to the menu so
    several devices can be removed in a row.
  - **CLI** — `gateway-plugin/tools/iris_devices.py`:
    - `list` — paired devices (id, name, token minted?, last seen) + revoked ids.
    - `revoke <device_id>` — drops the device's row (token, push tokens,
      cursor) AND adds its id to the `revoked` denylist: the device can no
      longer connect with its device token **or** the shared token, while
      every other device is unaffected. This is the isolation primitive a
      shared token alone can't provide (a compromised device can't be cut
      off without rotating the token for everyone).
    - `unrevoke <device_id>` — removes it from the denylist so it can pair
      again (a fresh token is minted at the next pairing).
    - `reissue <device_id>` — rotates the device's token (the old one stops
      working; the app picks up the new one on its next (re)connect via
      `hello.ack`).
  Re-pairing a revoked device also works by giving the app a fresh
  `device_id` (e.g. `adb shell pm clear dev.iris.app`), which bootstraps
  with the shared token like any new device.
- **Allowlist (optional):** `IRIS_ALLOWED_USERS` (comma-separated
  `device_id`s) restricts which *devices* may connect even with a valid
  token — useful if the shared token is exposed. `IRIS_ALLOW_ALL_USERS=true`
  disables the allowlist (dev only).
- **Re-pairing / rotation.** Rotating `IRIS_TOKEN` no longer invalidates
  paired devices: they authenticate with their per-device tokens, which
  survive the rotation. Only bootstrap of NEW devices needs the new shared
  token. (Legacy devices without a per-device token still re-pair, as
  before.)

## 9.4 Transport security

- **Default (LAN/dev):** plain `ws://` on the trusted LAN. Fine for a home
  network.
- **WSS (recommended for remote):** set `IRIS_WS_CERT` / `IRIS_WS_KEY`
  (self-signed or CA-signed). The app pins/accepts the cert (self-signed → user
  confirms fingerprint on first pair, like a SSH host key).
- **Remote reachability options** (documented, user's choice):
  - **Tailscale / WireGuard** (recommended): gateway gets a stable tailnet IP;
    app connects over the private mesh. No public exposure.
  - **Reverse proxy / tunnel** (Caddy, Cloudflare Tunnel, ngrok): terminate TLS
    at the edge, forward WS to `127.0.0.1:8790`.
  - **Public bind** (`0.0.0.0`) + WSS + strong token — last resort.
- **HTTP fallback leg (docs/19):** the gateway also serves the same frames
  over plain HTTP (`IRIS_HTTP_PORT`, default 8791) for the app's
  fallback transport. It is a *second door with the same lock*: the same
  Bearer token (constant-time `verify_token`) + the same device allowlist
  (`X-Iris-Device`), the same 64 KiB body cap and per-device rate limit as
  the WS. Optional TLS via `IRIS_HTTP_CERT` / `IRIS_HTTP_KEY`.
  `GET /v1/health` is unauthenticated by design (liveness only — it must
  not reflect tokens, device ids, or versions).
- The app stores the server URL + (for self-signed) the pinned cert fingerprint
  in secure storage.

## 9.5 Secret & PII handling

- **Tokens/keys never logged.** Redact `IRIS_TOKEN`, FCM tokens/keys, ntfy
  tokens in all log output (hermes PII policy; `agent/redact.py` patterns).
- **`device_id`** is a random UUID (not PII). `device_name` is user-chosen.
- **Media pull** is gated by hermes `validate_media_delivery_path` + delivery
  root/recency/denied-path checks (`gateway/platforms/base.py:1684`) — the
  plugin can only serve files hermes is allowed to deliver (no arbitrary file
  read).
- **Search** is local-only (user's own hermes home); no data leaves the machine.

## 9.6 Profile safety

- All plugin state lives under `get_hermes_home()/"iris"` (profile-aware).
- Secrets are read with the scope-aware `_get_scoped_secret` pattern (see
  `plugins/platforms/irc/adapter.py:42`) so multiplexed profiles don't leak
  each other's tokens (fail-closed under `gateway.multiplex_profiles`).
- The WS bind uses a scoped lock (`gateway.status.acquire_scoped_lock`) so two
  profiles can't bind the same port/identity.

## 9.7 Hardening checklist

- [ ] Constant-time token compare.
- [ ] Bounded per-connection send buffer + rate limit on inbound frames.
- [ ] Reject oversized frames / uploads (`max_upload_bytes`).
- [ ] Verify media sha256 + re-sniff MIME (don't trust client).
- [ ] Redact all secrets in logs.
- [ ] WSS + cert pinning for remote.
- [ ] Outbox retention cap + prune.
- [ ] Fail-closed secret reads under multiplexing.

## M7 verification (2026-08-20)

Status of the §9.7 hardening checklist plus the related gaps found in the
M7 research pass. "verified" = implemented and covered by
`hermes-agent/tests/gateway/test_android.py` (35 tests) or the app build;
"gap" = known limitation with the planned mitigation.

| # | Item | Status | Evidence / mitigation |
| --- | ------ | -------- | ----------------------- |
| 1 | Constant-time token compare | verified | `gateway-plugin/pairing.py:34` (`hmac.compare_digest`); `test_wrong_token_rejected` |
| 2 | Bounded per-connection send buffer + rate limit on inbound frames | verified | Send: `SEND_TIMEOUT_S` bounds every outbound send (`ws_server.py:47`, `broadcast`/`send_to`). Inbound: per-connection token bucket on JSON frames (20/s, burst 40) → `error {code:"rate_limited"}` + close on exceed (`ws_server.py:55`, `_TokenBucket`, `_on_frame`); binary upload chunks exempt (see gap 1) |
| 3 | Reject oversized frames / uploads (`max_upload_bytes`) | verified | `serve(max_size=adapter.max_upload_bytes)` (`ws_server.py:139`); per-upload total cap in `media.py` (`create_upload`/`feed`); `test_upload_declared_over_limit_rejected`, `test_upload_midstream_over_limit_rejected` |
| 4 | Verify media sha256 + re-sniff MIME (don't trust client) | verified | `media.py:317` (`complete_upload` digest check), `media.py:147` (`reclassify_kind`); `test_upload_sha256_mismatch_rejected`, `test_reclassify_kind_does_not_trust_client` |
| 5 | Redact all secrets in logs | gap | No mechanical redaction; the token is printed to stdout by design during `hermes gateway setup` (`gateway-plugin/adapter.py:632,650`). Mitigation: stdout is operator-only, not a log file; a redaction pass over gateway logs is planned |
| 6 | WSS + cert pinning for remote | gap (partial) | WSS supported server-side (`IRIS_WS_CERT`/`IRIS_WS_KEY`, `ws_server.py:122`); the app builds a default `OkHttpClient` with no `CertificatePinner` (`app/shared/src/commonMain/kotlin/iris/net/GatewayClient.kt:87`). Mitigation: remote access requires CA-signed WSS until pinning lands; LAN `ws://` stays the default |
| 7 | Outbox retention cap + prune | verified | `gateway-plugin/outbox.py:48` (`retention_hours` default 72h, `max_rows` cap, `take_overflow_pruned`); `test_outbox_row_cap_prunes_oldest` |
| 8 | Fail-closed secret reads under multiplexing | verified | `_get_scoped_secret` (`gateway-plugin/adapter.py:74`) for `IRIS_TOKEN`/`IRIS_WS_CERT`/`IRIS_WS_KEY`/FCM/ntfy secrets; scoped bind lock in `connect()` (`adapter.py:779`) |
| 9 | Gap: inbound frame rate limiting | implemented | Closes item 2: token bucket in `ws_server.py` (JSON frames only). Binary upload chunks are exempt — a 100 MB upload is 400 × 256 KiB frames in a tight loop and would exhaust any sane bucket; uploads are already bounded by per-frame `max_size` + the per-upload total cap |
| 10 | Gap: Android token storage | implemented | `AndroidSecureStore` → `EncryptedSharedPreferences` (MasterKey AES256_GCM) with one-time migration of the plain `iris` prefs (read old key → write encrypted → delete old key); dep in `app/shared/build.gradle.kts` (`app/shared/src/androidMain/kotlin/iris/platform/AndroidSecureStore.kt`) |
| 11 | Gap: guard not committed | implemented | `.pre-commit-config.yaml` (local hook → `scripts/guard_hermes_agent.sh --staged`); a fresh clone gets the guard after `pre-commit install` |
| 12 | Gap: in-app QR scanner | implemented | `hermes gateway setup` renders a terminal QR (`gateway-plugin/qr.py`, pure-stdlib encoder) and the app's Connect screen has a **Scan QR** button (CameraX + ML Kit, `QrScanActivity`) plus an `iris://pair` deep link (`PairLink.parse`); `docs/20` |
| 13 | Gap: per-device tokens (revocation) | implemented | `DeviceRegistry.issue_token` mints a 64-hex per-device token at pairing (stored in `devices.db`, returned in `hello.ack.device_token`); the app stores it in secure storage and presents it instead of the shared `IRIS_TOKEN` (bootstrap path unchanged). `tools/iris_devices.py revoke <device_id>` drops the device + denylists its id (rejected even with the shared token); `unrevoke`/`reissue` for re-pairing/rotation. `docs/09` §9.3 |