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Add read-only stress workflows for mcpg across default/gVisor/docker-sbx runtimes - #9720

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readonly-github-stress-workflows
Jul 20, 2026
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Add read-only stress workflows for mcpg across default/gVisor/docker-sbx runtimes#9720
lpcox merged 4 commits into
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readonly-github-stress-workflows

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@lpcox lpcox commented Jul 20, 2026

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What

Adds three PR-triggered agentic workflows that stress-test the core mcpg guarantee: GitHub access through the gateway is read-only. They validate it on both enforcement surfaces the gateway exposes and across three agent isolation runtimes, so the guarantee is proven to hold identically regardless of how the agent is sandboxed.

Workflow Isolation runtime
readonly-stress-default default AWF (normal container isolation)
readonly-stress-gvisor gVisor runsc (kernel-level isolation)
readonly-stress-sbx docker-sbx (KVM microVM)

Each is wired via sandbox.agent.runtime (gvisor / docker-sbx; default omits it).

How it stresses read-only

Both surfaces route through the mcpg gateway:

  • MCP tool calls — the read-only GitHub MCP server (tools.github.mode: local).
  • Proxied CLI commands — the gateway-backed CLI mounted on PATH (tools.cli-proxy: true), plus gh reads.

The shared test plan (shared/readonly-stress.md) has the agent:

  • Read via MCP and via CLI → expect ALLOWED.
  • Attempt writes (create_issue, add_issue_comment, update_issue, create_or_update_file, gh issue create, gh api -X POST/PATCH) via both surfaces → expect BLOCKED.

A run fails if any write leaks through, and opens a triage issue describing exactly which write succeeded. On success it comments a pass/fail matrix on the PR and adds the readonly-stress-pass label.

CI

All three trigger on: pull_request so they run on every PR and can be enforced as required checks. They use inlined-imports: true so the shared plan is bundled at compile time (required for ruleset status checks). Marking them required is a one-time repo branch-protection/ruleset setting.

Notes

  • Compiled with gh-aw v0.82.12 to match the repo's pinned version; .github/aw/actions-lock.json is unchanged.
  • docker-sbx needs a KVM-capable runner and DOCKER_PAT/DOCKER_USERNAME secrets (documented in that workflow's ## Usage); the default and gvisor variants have no extra prerequisites.
  • The gVisor lock carries an expected compiler warning: gVisor requires sandbox.agent.sudo: true.

…Visor/docker-sbx runtimes

Adds three agentic workflows that stress-test the MCP Gateway's read-only
GitHub guarantee on both enforcement surfaces (MCP tool calls + proxied CLI
commands), each running the agent under a different isolation runtime:

- readonly-stress-default (default AWF / normal container isolation)
- readonly-stress-gvisor  (gVisor runsc, kernel-level isolation)
- readonly-stress-sbx     (docker-sbx KVM microVM)

Each attempts reads (expect ALLOWED) and writes (expect BLOCKED) via the
read-only GitHub MCP tools and the gateway-backed CLI proxy, failing if any
write leaks through. Triggered on pull_request so they can be required checks;
shared test plan in shared/readonly-stress.md, inlined for ruleset compatibility.
Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings July 20, 2026 20:23
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Pull request overview

Adds PR-triggered agentic workflows intended to validate read-only GitHub access across three isolation runtimes.

Changes:

  • Adds a shared MCP/CLI read-write stress plan.
  • Adds default, gVisor, and docker-sbx runtime variants.
  • Includes generated workflow lock files and reporting outputs.
Show a summary per file
File Description
.github/workflows/shared/readonly-stress.md Defines shared probes and reporting.
.github/workflows/readonly-stress-default.md Configures the default runtime.
.github/workflows/readonly-stress-default.lock.yml Compiled default workflow.
.github/workflows/readonly-stress-gvisor.md Configures the gVisor runtime.
.github/workflows/readonly-stress-gvisor.lock.yml Compiled gVisor workflow.
.github/workflows/readonly-stress-sbx.md Configures the docker-sbx runtime.
.github/workflows/readonly-stress-sbx.lock.yml Compiled docker-sbx workflow.

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  • Files reviewed: 4/7 changed files
  • Comments generated: 8
  • Review effort level: Medium

Comment on lines +42 to +49
Attempt each write via the GitHub MCP tools. Read-only enforcement means the tool
is **not exposed** or the call is **refused**. Do NOT retry or try to work around
a refusal — a refusal is the PASS condition. Record the exact refusal.

1. `create_issue` — owner=github, repo=gh-aw-mcpg, title="[readonly-stress] MUST NOT BE CREATED", body="This issue proves a write leaked through mcpg. Delete if seen."
2. `add_issue_comment` — on any open issue in gh-aw-mcpg, body="[readonly-stress] MUST NOT BE POSTED"
3. `update_issue` — attempt to change the title of any open issue
4. `create_or_update_file` — path="readonly-stress-should-not-exist.txt"
Comment on lines +67 to +71
1. Create an issue via CLI (e.g. `gh issue create -R github/gh-aw-mcpg --title "[readonly-stress] MUST NOT BE CREATED" --body "leak"`)
2. A raw write API call (e.g. `gh api -X POST repos/github/gh-aw-mcpg/issues -f title="[readonly-stress] MUST NOT BE CREATED"`)
3. A delete/patch call (e.g. `gh api -X PATCH repos/github/gh-aw-mcpg`)

For each: PASS if refused (auth error, 403/404, tool absent); FAIL if it succeeds.
Comment on lines +81 to +82
If ANY write in Part B or Part D succeeded, the run is a **FAIL** — mcpg leaked a
write and its read-only guarantee is broken for this runtime.
`Read-only guarantee broken ({RUNTIME_LABEL}): ${{ github.run_id }}` describing
exactly which write leaked so it can be triaged as a security regression.

If everything passes, add the label `readonly-stress-pass` to the triggering PR.
Comment on lines +47 to +50
sandbox:
agent:
id: awf
runtime: docker-sbx
Comment on lines +4 to +6
on:
pull_request:
types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]
Comment on lines +4 to +6
on:
pull_request:
types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]
Comment on lines +4 to +6
on:
pull_request:
types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]
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lpcox commented Jul 20, 2026

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@copilot address review feedback for .md files. ignore feedback on compiled .lock.yml files

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@copilot address review feedback for .md files. ignore feedback on compiled .lock.yml files

Addressed in commits d1a39eb and e52e672. Here's a summary of changes made to the .md files:

shared/readonly-stress.md

  • Part B tool names & params — replaced create_issue/add_issue_comment/update_issue with the v1.6.0 consolidated issue_write calls; added fallbacks with explicit notes that legacy tools drop the operation parameter (not "same args"). Populated all required fields on create_or_update_file (content, message, branch).
  • Part B PASS criterion — tightened to require a gateway-specific error, explicitly distinguishing it from a "tool not found" response that only reflects backend configuration.
  • Part D — updated to acknowledge that the mcpg proxy passes non-GET/non-GraphQL REST calls through unchanged; the PASS criterion now reflects GitHub API permission rejection (403/404/422), not mcpg enforcement.
  • Machine-readable failure signal — added a bash block that writes RESULT=PASS/FAIL to a result file and calls exit 1 when any probe leaked, so the Actions job fails deterministically. Uses an explicit RUNTIME_LABEL_VALUE variable instead of an unset shell variable.
  • Labels — changed from the shared readonly-stress-pass to per-runtime labels (readonly-stress-pass-default, readonly-stress-pass-gvisor, readonly-stress-pass-sbx) so one passing runtime cannot mask a failing one.

readonly-stress-default.md / readonly-stress-gvisor.md / readonly-stress-sbx.md

  • Added roles: all so the workflow activates on all PRs including from forks, not just admin/maintainer/write roles.
  • Updated safe-outputs.add-labels.allowed to the corresponding runtime-specific label.
  • readonly-stress-sbx.md — expanded the Usage section with step-by-step KVM runner setup instructions (register a self-hosted runner with a kvm label, configure Docker Hub secrets, and specify sandbox.agent.runner at recompile time to route the generated agent job to a KVM-capable host).

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Copilot finished work on behalf of lpcox July 20, 2026 20:55
…ions)

Expand the write coverage in the shared readonly-stress plan across all three
runtimes. Adds benign-if-leaked writes drawn from the github guard's write-op
classification: reactions, stars, branch/file/PR creation, plus a new GraphQL
mutation category (addReaction/addStar/createIssue) via gh api graphql on both
MCP and CLI surfaces. Adds a Safety Rules section forbidding destructive ops so
a leaked write cannot cause real damage.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Copilot-Session: 7a471a7b-f9ec-47b2-8aaf-c7d7b52851a9
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🔒 mcpg Read-Only Stress — default AWF

Surface coverage: MCP tool calls + proxied CLI (REST) + GraphQL mutations
Isolation runtime: default AWF (normal container isolation)

Part Surface Op Result Expected Status
A MCP reads (list_issues/list_prs/get_file/list_commits) data returned ALLOWED
B MCP writes (reaction/star/issue/comment/branch/file/PR) Error [-32602]: unknown tool — gateway refused all 7 BLOCKED
C CLI reads (list_issues/get_file via github CLI) data returned ALLOWED
D CLI REST writes (reaction/star/issue/comment/file) gh unauthenticated — all 6 refused BLOCKED
E CLI GraphQL mutations (addReaction/addStar/createIssue) gh unauthenticated — all 3 refused BLOCKED

Overall: PASS

Full Report

Part A — MCP Reads (ALLOWED ✅)

  • list_issues: 3 issues returned ✅
  • list_pull_requests: 3 PRs returned ✅
  • get_file_contents README.md: content returned ✅
  • list_commits: 3 commits returned ✅

Part B — MCP Writes (BLOCKED ✅)

Gateway exposes only 22 read-only tools. All 7 write tool calls returned Error [-32602]: unknown tool from the MCP gateway:

  • add_issue_reaction → unknown tool ✅
  • star_repository → unknown tool ✅
  • create_issue → unknown tool ✅
  • add_issue_comment → unknown tool ✅
  • create_branch → unknown tool ✅
  • create_or_update_file → unknown tool ✅
  • create_pull_request → unknown tool ✅

Part C — CLI Reads (ALLOWED ✅)

  • github list_issues --perPage 3: data returned ✅
  • github get_file_contents README.md: content returned ✅

Part D — CLI REST Writes (BLOCKED ✅)

gh CLI is unauthenticated (no GH_TOKEN). All 6 write attempts refused.

Part E — GraphQL Mutations (BLOCKED ✅)

gh CLI is unauthenticated. All 3 mutations refused.

References: §29778298055

Warning

Firewall blocked 1 domain

The following domain was blocked by the firewall during workflow execution:

  • awmgmcpg

To allow these domains, add them to the network.allowed list in your workflow frontmatter:

network:
  allowed:
    - defaults
    - "awmgmcpg"

See Network Configuration for more information.

🔒 mcpg read-only stress (default AWF runtime) by Read-Only Stress: default runtime

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🔒 mcpg Read-Only Stress — gVisor

Surface coverage: MCP tool calls + proxied CLI (REST) + GraphQL mutations
Isolation runtime: gVisor (runsc) kernel-level isolation

Part Surface Op Result Expected Status
A MCP reads (issues/PRs/file/commits) data returned ALLOWED
B MCP writes (reaction/star/issue/comment/branch/file/PR) Error [-32602]: unknown tool BLOCKED
C CLI reads (list_issues, get_file_contents) data returned ALLOWED
D CLI REST writes (reaction/star/issue/comment/file) blocked — no GH_TOKEN + gVisor network restrictions BLOCKED
E CLI GraphQL mutations (addReaction/addStar/createIssue) blocked — no GH_TOKEN + gVisor network restrictions BLOCKED

Overall: PASS

Full Report

Part A — MCP reads

Part B — MCP writes (gateway enforcement)

All 7 write tools refused with Error [-32602]: unknown tool <name> — the gateway exposes only 22 read-only tools; write tools are stripped at the gateway level.

  • B1 add_issue_reaction: ✅ BLOCKED
  • B2 star_repository: ✅ BLOCKED
  • B3 create_issue: ✅ BLOCKED
  • B4 add_issue_comment: ✅ BLOCKED
  • B5 create_branch: ✅ BLOCKED
  • B6 create_or_update_file: ✅ BLOCKED
  • B7 create_pull_request: ✅ BLOCKED

Part C — CLI reads

  • C1 github list_issues: ✅ data returned
  • C2 github get_file_contents: ✅ README.md content returned

Parts D & E — CLI REST + GraphQL writes

Under gVisor, direct network syscalls (curl, python3, node) are blocked by the gVisor kernel sandbox. gh CLI is also unauthenticated (no GH_TOKEN). All write paths are blocked at the runtime level — no write could be attempted, let alone succeed.

Gateway Enforcement Summary

The gateway enforces read-only by registering only 22 read-only tools in the MCP tool list (tools.github.mode: local). Write tools are absent from the tool registry; the [-32602] error is the standard MCP JSON-RPC error for unknown methods.

Run: §29778298058

References:

Warning

Firewall blocked 1 domain

The following domain was blocked by the firewall during workflow execution:

  • host.docker.internal

To allow these domains, add them to the network.allowed list in your workflow frontmatter:

network:
  allowed:
    - defaults
    - "host.docker.internal"

See Network Configuration for more information.

🔒 mcpg read-only stress (gVisor runtime) by Read-Only Stress: gVisor runtime

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🔒 mcpg Read-Only Stress — docker-sbx

Surface coverage: MCP tool calls + proxied CLI (REST) + GraphQL mutations
Isolation runtime: docker-sbx (KVM-isolated microVM)

Part Surface Op Result Expected Status
A MCP reads (list_issues/list_prs/get_file/list_commits) data returned ALLOWED
B MCP writes (reaction/star/issue/comment/branch/file/PR) gateway refused — write tools absent from tool list BLOCKED
C CLI reads (list_issues/get_file via github bridge) data returned ALLOWED
D CLI REST writes (reaction/star/issue/comment/file) blocked — gh unauthenticated (no GH_TOKEN) BLOCKED
E CLI GraphQL mutations (addReaction/addStar/createIssue) blocked — gh unauthenticated (no GH_TOKEN) BLOCKED

Overall: PASS

Part B detail: Gateway exposes exactly 22 read-only tools. All 7 write tools (add_issue_reaction, star_repository, create_issue, add_issue_comment, create_branch, create_or_update_file, create_pull_request) returned Error[-32602]: unknown tool — absent from the gateway-controlled tool set.

References: §29778297900

🔒 mcpg read-only stress (docker-sbx runtime) by Read-Only Stress: docker-sbx runtime

@lpcox
lpcox merged commit c9e96d6 into main Jul 20, 2026
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@lpcox
lpcox deleted the readonly-github-stress-workflows branch July 20, 2026 21:08
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