Apply shell escaping with @Q to environment variables in echo statements #15017

Copilot · 2026-02-11T22:10:13Z

Shell scripts in actions/setup/sh/ were echoing environment variables without proper escaping, creating potential injection vectors and formatting issues.

Changes

Applied ${var@Q} operator to environment variables in 9 shell scripts:

Security-sensitive outputs:

API keys written to GITHUB_OUTPUT in start_safe_inputs_server.sh, start_safe_outputs_server.sh, start_mcp_gateway.sh

User-controlled data:

Branch names in generate_git_patch.sh (20 instances)
URLs in validate_multi_secret.sh, check_mcp_servers.sh, validate_gatewayed_server.sh, install_awf_binary.sh
File paths in clean_git_credentials.sh, check_mcp_servers.sh, validate_gatewayed_server.sh

Example

# Before
echo "api_key=$GH_AW_SAFE_INPUTS_API_KEY" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
echo "Branch $BRANCH_NAME exists, generating patch"

# After
echo "api_key=${GH_AW_SAFE_INPUTS_API_KEY@Q}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
echo "Branch ${BRANCH_NAME@Q} exists, generating patch"

The @Q operator quotes values to prevent shell metacharacter interpretation - critical for branch names like feat/foo$bar or API keys containing special characters.

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Changeset

Type: patch
Description: Quote environment variables with ${VAR@Q} in the setup shell scripts so echoed values cannot inject special characters or break output parsing.

Generated by Changeset Generator

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

- Added ${var@Q} escaping to API keys in GITHUB_OUTPUT writes - Applied escaping to user-controlled branch names in generate_git_patch.sh - Protected URLs and paths in diagnostic output - Secured error messages with file paths and configuration URLs Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

github-actions · 2026-02-11T22:37:32Z

🧪 Smoke Project is now testing project operations...

github-actions · 2026-02-11T22:37:36Z

📰 BREAKING: Smoke Copilot is now investigating this pull request. Sources say the story is developing...

github-actions · 2026-02-11T22:37:37Z

✨ The prophecy is fulfilled... Smoke Codex has completed its mystical journey. The stars align. 🌟

github-actions · 2026-02-11T22:37:39Z

🎬 THE END — Smoke Claude MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED! The hero saves the day! ✨

github-actions · 2026-02-11T22:37:43Z

✅ Changeset Generator completed successfully!

Copilot

Pull request overview

This PR applies shell escaping with the ${var@Q} operator to environment variables in echo statements across 9 shell scripts in actions/setup/sh/, preventing shell metacharacter interpretation for security-sensitive outputs (API keys), user-controlled data (branch names, URLs), file paths, and error messages. However, the PR also includes several unrelated changes to documentation and workflow configurations.

Changes:

Applied ${var@Q} escaping to environment variables in 9 shell scripts (validate_multi_secret.sh, validate_gatewayed_server.sh, start_safe_outputs_server.sh, start_safe_inputs_server.sh, start_mcp_gateway.sh, install_awf_binary.sh, generate_git_patch.sh, clean_git_credentials.sh, check_mcp_servers.sh)
Updated rate limiting documentation in frontmatter-full.md (unrelated to shell escaping)
Added Bot Detection Agent and removed Test Rate Limiting workflow from agent-factory-status.mdx (unrelated to shell escaping)
Reordered rate limit event types in two workflow files (unrelated to shell escaping)

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 13 out of 13 changed files in this pull request and generated 4 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
actions/setup/sh/validate_multi_secret.sh	Applied @q escaping to DOCS_URL in error messages
actions/setup/sh/validate_gatewayed_server.sh	Applied @q escaping to MCP_CONFIG_PATH, GATEWAY_URL, and server_url in error messages
actions/setup/sh/start_safe_outputs_server.sh	Applied @q escaping to GH_AW_SAFE_OUTPUTS_API_KEY in GITHUB_OUTPUT
actions/setup/sh/start_safe_inputs_server.sh	Applied @q escaping to GH_AW_SAFE_INPUTS_API_KEY in GITHUB_OUTPUT
actions/setup/sh/start_mcp_gateway.sh	Applied @q escaping to MCP_GATEWAY_API_KEY in GITHUB_OUTPUT
actions/setup/sh/install_awf_binary.sh	Applied @q escaping to BINARY_URL and CHECKSUMS_URL in informational messages
actions/setup/sh/generate_git_patch.sh	Applied @q escaping to 20 instances of branch names, SHAs, file paths, and other variables
actions/setup/sh/clean_git_credentials.sh	Applied @q escaping to GIT_CONFIG_PATH in informational messages
actions/setup/sh/check_mcp_servers.sh	Applied @q escaping to GATEWAY_CONFIG_PATH, SERVER_URL, and LAST_ERROR in error messages
docs/src/content/docs/reference/frontmatter-full.md	Updated rate-limit.max documentation from "Defaults to 5" to "Required field" and added maximum window limit (unrelated change)
docs/src/content/docs/agent-factory-status.mdx	Added Bot Detection Agent entry and removed Test Rate Limiting workflow entry (unrelated changes)
.github/workflows/auto-triage-issues.lock.yml	Reordered GH_AW_RATE_LIMIT_EVENTS from "issues,workflow_dispatch" to "workflow_dispatch,issues" (unrelated change)
.github/workflows/ai-moderator.lock.yml	Reordered GH_AW_RATE_LIMIT_EVENTS from "workflow_dispatch,issues,issue_comment" to "issues,issue_comment,workflow_dispatch" (unrelated change)

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.github/workflows/ai-moderator.lock.yml

docs/src/content/docs/reference/frontmatter-full.md

docs/src/content/docs/agent-factory-status.mdx

Copilot · 2026-02-11T22:40:08Z

.github/workflows/auto-triage-issues.lock.yml

          GH_AW_RATE_LIMIT_MAX: "5"
          GH_AW_RATE_LIMIT_WINDOW: "60"
-          GH_AW_RATE_LIMIT_EVENTS: "issues,workflow_dispatch"
+          GH_AW_RATE_LIMIT_EVENTS: "workflow_dispatch,issues"


The reordering of rate limit events from "issues,workflow_dispatch" to "workflow_dispatch,issues" appears unrelated to the PR's stated purpose of applying shell escaping with @q operator to environment variables. This change should either be in a separate PR or explained in the PR description.

github-actions · 2026-02-11T22:40:38Z

Agent Container Tool Check

Tool	Status	Version
bash	✅	5.2.21
sh	✅	available
git	✅	2.52.0
jq	✅	1.7
yq	✅	4.52.2
curl	✅	8.5.0
gh	✅	2.86.0
node	✅	20.20.0
python3	✅	3.12.3
go	✅	go1.24.12
java	✅	21.0.7
dotnet	✅	10.0.102

Result: 12/12 tools available ✅

All required development tools are present and functional in the agent container environment.

AI generated by Agent Container Smoke Test

github-actions · 2026-02-11T22:41:01Z

✅ Smoke Project completed successfully. All project operations validated.

github-actions · 2026-02-11T22:42:43Z

Smoke test results:
PR titles: Add bot detection workflow; Add temporary ID resolution for create-project item_url and update-project content_number
✅ GitHub MCP (2 merged PRs)
✅ Serena MCP (activate + find_symbol)
✅ Playwright (title contains GitHub)
✅ File write + bash cat
✅ Build (make build)
Overall: PASS

AI generated by Smoke Codex

github-actions · 2026-02-11T22:42:43Z

🤖 Beep boop! The smoke test agent zoomed through here at lightning speed! ⚡

Just validated that all systems are nominal and ready to catch those pesky security issues. Keep up the excellent work on maintaining our fortress of quality! 🛡️✨

Smoke test run §21925816900 — all systems green!

AI generated by Smoke Copilot

github-actions · 2026-02-11T22:42:49Z

Smoke Test Results

Status: ✅ PASS

Test	Result
GitHub MCP	✅
Safe Inputs GH CLI	✅
Serena MCP	✅
Playwright	✅
File Writing	✅
Bash Tool	✅
Discussion Interaction	✅
Build gh-aw	✅
Workflow Dispatch	✅

PRs Tested: #15018, #15017
Run: §21925816900

AI generated by Smoke Copilot

github-actions · 2026-02-11T22:43:06Z

📰 VERDICT: Smoke Copilot has concluded. All systems operational. This is a developing story. 🎤

Initial plan

5288836

Copilot AI assigned Copilot and pelikhan Feb 11, 2026

Copilot started work on behalf of pelikhan February 11, 2026 22:10 View session

Copilot AI and others added 3 commits February 11, 2026 22:15

Initial plan for shell escaping review

45559a2

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Complete shell escaping review - all tests pass

567f4bf

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI changed the title ~~[WIP] Review shell scripts that echo environment variables~~ Apply shell escaping with @Q to environment variables in echo statements Feb 11, 2026

Copilot AI requested a review from pelikhan February 11, 2026 22:27

Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan February 11, 2026 22:27

pelikhan marked this pull request as ready for review February 11, 2026 22:36

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings February 11, 2026 22:36

pelikhan added the smoke label Feb 11, 2026

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of pelikhan February 11, 2026 22:37 View session

github-actions bot mentioned this pull request Feb 11, 2026

[agentics] No-Op Runs #14645

Open

Copilot AI reviewed Feb 11, 2026

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Add changeset [skip-ci]

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github-actions bot added smoke-codex and removed smoke labels Feb 11, 2026

github-actions bot mentioned this pull request Feb 11, 2026

Smoke Test: Copilot - 21925816900 #15019

Closed

github-actions bot added the smoke-copilot label Feb 11, 2026

pelikhan merged commit d87db08 into main Feb 11, 2026
1 check passed

pelikhan deleted the copilot/review-shell-scripts-echo-env-vars branch February 11, 2026 22:43

github-actions bot mentioned this pull request Feb 11, 2026

Add template syntax sanitization to prevent injection bypass (T24) #15015

Merged

Apply shell escaping with @Q to environment variables in echo statements #15017

Apply shell escaping with @Q to environment variables in echo statements #15017

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Agent Container Tool Check

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