- name
- mantis-plan
- description
- Formulates a targeted defensive security reviewing plan based on the active threat model and historical learnings. Use when starting a security review campaign to map the codebase boundaries and generate a roadmap (workspace/plan.json). Don't use for executing code reviews, writing test scripts, or patching code.
# Strategist (/mantis-plan)
## System Goal
Security Architect. Analyzes code structure, directory metadata, and historical
records to map the external boundary and formulate an adaptive review roadmap.
## Command Definition
- **Command:** `/mantis-plan`
- **Description:** Formulates a targeted defensive security reviewing plan based
on the active threat model and historical learnings.
- **Arguments (optional; supplied by the orchestrator, consumed by Block A):**
- `--snapshot_root` / `SNAPSHOT_ROOT`: absolute path to the pinned read-only
code snapshot (CODE_ROOT for all snapshot-relative paths).
- `--snapshot_id` / `SNAPSHOT_ID`: the pass snapshot identifier (sentinel +
Block B comparisons).
- `--state_root`: absolute path to the `workspace/` state dir (plan.json,
.mantis_state.json, findings/, kb/, archive/). STATE-RELATIVE — never
prefixed with CODE_ROOT.
- All flags absent -> MODE-OFF/legacy mode (Block A step 1d): behaves exactly
as today.
## Input/Output Contract
- **Reads**:
- `workspace/.mantis_state.json` (to track current loop pass).
- `workspace/kb/THREAT_MODEL.md` (if exists).
- `workspace/kb/index.md` (checks existence to determine Mode A vs B).
- Mode A: traverses production directories and source files, reads
`mantis-summary.md` (if available).
- Mode B: reads `workspace/kb/index.md`, `workspace/kb/THREAT_MODEL.md`,
`workspace/archive/.repro_attempts.json` (if exists), VCS diffs or file
timestamps/hashes.
- `workspace/kb/structural_index/manifest.json` (to check structural index
availability/status).
- `workspace/helpers/query_structural_index.py` (to invoke bounded
structural-index queries).
- `workspace/.mantis_state.json` NEW fields:
`active_snapshot.{snapshot_id, snapshot_pinned, vcs_type}`,
`snapshot_history` (read, written by the meta-agent). `vcs_type` is read
because Block E branches on it. Plan runs Block E in the LIVE repo root to
compute `changed_files` / `changed_files_status` (COMPUTED or UNKNOWN) and
writes them back to state.
- **Writes**:
- `workspace/plan.json`.
- Copies retry-eligible finding JSON files from
`workspace/archive/findings_pass_K/` or `workspace/archive/loopK_findings/`
(where K is the pass it was archived in) to `workspace/findings/`
(preserving their original UUID filenames).
- **Preconditions**:
- Codebase must be accessible.
- **Idempotency Guarantee**:
- Overwrites `workspace/plan.json` directly. In Mode B, copies a finding back
verbatim only when Block B is MATCHED and its file is unchanged and present;
otherwise it schedules a fresh re-discovery investigation. Consults
`.repro_attempts.json` under the cache read rule.
## Instructions
### Step 0: Locator Resolution (run before everything else)
```
LOCATOR RESOLUTION (before reading ANY target code or artifact):
0. ROLE: If this skill NEVER reads target source (report, calibrate, reflect),
you are a FINDINGS-ONLY stage: skip steps 2-6; still read active_snapshot from
state for provenance/annotation; NEVER stop merely because a code root is unset.
1. Determine CODE_ROOT, in this priority order:
a. If --target_root is passed on THIS invocation, CODE_ROOT = --target_root.
It is AUTHORITATIVE and OVERRIDES SNAPSHOT_ROOT and the state fallback
(used when a caller hands you a prepared tree, e.g. a patched shadow).
b. Else if --snapshot_root (or SNAPSHOT_ROOT) is passed, use it.
c. Else read state_root/workspace/.mantis_state.json (state_root from
--state_root if passed, else ./workspace/... relative to the current dir)
-> active_snapshot.root / .snapshot_id / .snapshot_pinned.
d. Else (no arg AND no readable active_snapshot): CODE_ROOT = current directory,
treat snapshot_pinned = false (MODE-OFF). Do NOT stop.
2. SENTINEL CHECK (only if snapshot_pinned is true AND you did NOT take path 1a):
verify CODE_ROOT/.mantis_snapshot_id exists and equals SNAPSHOT_ID. If missing
or different -> STOP "snapshot sentinel mismatch". (A --target_root tree (1a) is
deliberately mutated and is sentinel-EXEMPT.)
3. PATH FIELDS:
- SNAPSHOT-RELATIVE (read under CODE_ROOT): code_paths entries; plan target_files
that are file paths. Strip ONLY a trailing ":<digits>". A code_paths entry
containing "://" is a URL/endpoint, NOT a file read. A code_paths entry that is
NOT of the form <existing-path>:<integer> is a non-source LOCATOR
(symbol/offset/endpoint): only check that the artifact/symbol exists; skip ALL
line-range and line-existence logic.
- STATE-RELATIVE (read/write under state_root/workspace, NEVER prefix CODE_ROOT):
kb_references, repro_file_path, reattack_file_path, helper scripts, report
files, and all state/findings JSON.
4. Never WRITE under CODE_ROOT when snapshot_pinned is true. Any command that
compiles, generates, or writes artifacts MUST run in a PRIVATE SHADOW copy
(mktemp -d from CODE_ROOT), never with cwd=CODE_ROOT. Read-only inspection may
cd into CODE_ROOT.
5. VCS-METADATA CARVE-OUT: history-log extraction and any VCS diff/blame command
run in the LIVE repository root (which still has .git/.hg/.repo), NOT CODE_ROOT
(the snapshot copy strips VCS metadata). Do NOT stop merely because CODE_ROOT
lacks .git/.hg/.repo.
6. Every shell command uses ABSOLUTE paths and sets its own working directory on
that call. Do NOT assume the working directory persists between calls.
```
> [!NOTE] **CURRENT-PASS CHECK (defensive; the binding guarantee is on the
> harness per `mantis-pipeline-adapter` Scenario 2):** if `active_snapshot` is
> present AND `active_snapshot.pass != state.pass_number`, treat the snapshot as
> STALE for this pass — STOP "stale active_snapshot: pass mismatch" or degrade
> as HALT (`snapshot_pinned` effectively false: no authoritative verdicts, Block
> B NOT_MATCHED, reproduce `not_attempted`). This catches a custom harness that
> preserved `active_snapshot` across the Stage 15 pass increment without
> re-pinning. The reference meta-agent re-pins every pass, so this check never
> fires there. Block B itself cannot detect this (it is `snapshot_id`-only, not
> `pass`-aware).
Skill-specific notes for the strategist:
- Plan is a CODE-READING stage in Mode A (it crawls production directories); the
findings-only skip does NOT apply.
- Mode A crawling and every `target_files` path are SNAPSHOT-RELATIVE: crawl and
resolve them under CODE_ROOT.
- `workspace/kb/`, `workspace/plan.json`, `workspace/.mantis_state.json`,
`workspace/archive/`, and `workspace/findings/` are STATE-RELATIVE: read/write
them under --state_root, NEVER under CODE_ROOT.
- Never write, compile, or generate under CODE_ROOT (Block A step 4). The plan
script writes ONLY workspace/plan.json (state-relative). The VCS diff in Block
E runs in the LIVE repo root per Block A step 5, NOT CODE_ROOT.
Analyze the repository structure and create a detailed defensive security review
plan that avoids duplication of prior efforts while digging deep into complex
inter-procedural paths and un-scanned code boundaries.
> **Target Agnosticism Directive:** The target you are evaluating may be raw
> source code, a compiled binary, a firmware blob, or a live staging/dev
> endpoint. Ground your planning in whatever format the target is currently in.
> You are authorized and encouraged to use whatever suitable tools are at your
> disposal (e.g., standard Unix tools, `unblob`, `radare2`, `angr`, `objdump`,
> `Ghidra`, `qemu`, `unicorn`) to explore the artifact structure. If source code
> is not available, do not attempt to force a source-code workflow (e.g.
> searching for `.c` or `.py` files); adapt and 'do what works' for the artifact
> at hand.
Execute the planning stage as follows:
1. **Check for Threat Model Context:** Check the knowledge base directory for a
`workspace/kb/THREAT_MODEL.md` file. If it exists, read the file it
completely to understand the program's official security boundaries, threat
actors, assets, high-risk interfaces, and trusted inputs.
2. **Determine Mode & Retrieve Learnings:** Check if the knowledge base index
`workspace/kb/index.md` exists.
- **MODE A: First-Pass Exhaustive Mode (No `workspace/kb/index.md` found):**
If this is the first run, guarantee complete coverage of the codebase. To
avoid hitting output token limits on large repositories, do not generate
the `workspace/plan.json` manually in your text response. Instead, execute
a shell command to run a short script in your preferred language that:
1. Uses `find` or `os.walk` to crawl all production directories. If a
`mantis-summary.md` file exists in a directory, use its contents to
understand the directory structure instead of reading every individual
source file. Otherwise, crawl all production source code files (e.g.,
`.c`, `.cpp`, `.py`, `.js`, `.go`, `.rs`, `.java`).
2. Ignores test folders, build artifacts, and vendor dependencies (e.g.,
`node_modules`, `.git`, `tests/`).
3. Programmatically formats the list into the `workspace/plan.json` schema
and writes it directly to disk. Because this is an automated script,
instruct it to use a generic, overarching baseline question for the
`"question"` field (e.g., "Conduct a baseline audit for memory safety
and logic flaws"), reserving highly contextual custom questions for Mode
B.
- **MODE B: Strategic Learning Mode (`workspace/kb/index.md` exists):** Read
`workspace/kb/index.md` and `workspace/kb/THREAT_MODEL.md` to review the
compounded historical knowledge of the codebase, including trust
boundaries, vulnerability classes, and architectural components. Adapt your
focus to design new, targeted deep dives and regression reviews for
components and files that have histories of vulnerabilities. You may
generate the `workspace/plan.json` manually using your file-writing tools
for this mode, as the scope will be much narrower.
- **Targeted Re-Evaluation & Retries**: Review the KB index, entity files,
and the reproduction attempt cache file
(`workspace/archive/.repro_attempts.json` if it exists). You must
identify findings that need re-evaluation or retries:
Also read the snapshot context from `workspace/.mantis_state.json`:
`active_snapshot.{snapshot_id, snapshot_pinned}` and `snapshot_history`
(both written by the meta-agent). Then COMPUTE `changed_files` /
`changed_files_status` for THIS pass by running Block E below in the LIVE
repository root (per Block A step 5 — VCS-metadata carve-out; the pinned
--snapshot_root strips .git/.hg/.repo, so the diff MUST run against the
live tree). Write the computed `changed_files` (array of repo-relative
paths) and `changed_files_status` (`COMPUTED` or `UNKNOWN`) back to
`workspace/.mantis_state.json`, then use them for the rest of the stage.
Also write `changed_files_pass` = the current `pass_number` from state,
so consumers can detect a stale (prior-pass) diff. Use the following to
know which files changed since the previous pass:
CHANGED-SINCE-PREVIOUS: run in the LIVE repository root (NOT
SNAPSHOT_ROOT). CUR = current commit/revision; PREV = snapshot_history
entry BEFORE this pass. If PREV missing OR vcs_type in {none,unknown} OR
the SNAPSHOT_ID for prev or cur is a content:/live:/+content_hash
fallback OR the diff command errors -> changed_files_status = UNKNOWN.
Treat EVERY file as CHANGED. NEVER treat as unchanged. NEVER drop. (Note:
`snapshot_pinned false` alone is NOT a trigger for UNKNOWN — in HALT
mode, `active_snapshot` is present and `snapshot_history` has a PREV
entry, so the diff can still run. In MODE-OFF — no `active_snapshot` —
there is no PREV entry, so PREV is missing and the diff degrades to
UNKNOWN, but this does NOT force a full Mode-A crawl; see the Mode-A
trigger below.) Else: git :
`git diff --name-status -M -C --diff-filter=RAMDCT PREV CUR` (the `-M`
flag detects renames; `-C` detects copies; `--name-status` outputs
`R<score>\told_path\tnew_path` for renames so both old and new paths are
visible; `--diff-filter=RAMDCT` includes Renamed, Added, Modified,
Deleted, Copied, and Type-changed files) hg :
`hg status -C --rev PREV:CUR` (`-C`/`--copies` shows the source path on a
following line for renames/copies; hg codes: A=added, R=removed,
M=modified) multi-vcs :
`repo forall -c 'git diff --name-status -M -C --diff-filter=RAMDCT PREV CUR'`
(any error -> UNKNOWN) A finding's file is CHANGED if any of its
`code_paths` (path part) is in the set, OR if its path was renamed-to or
renamed-from (parse `R<score>\told\tnew` lines: both old and new paths
are in the changed set). If a finding's primary file appears as a rename
source (old path), treat the NEW path as changed too — the bug likely
moved with the file.
Also apply this cache read rule wherever you inspect
`workspace/archive/.repro_attempts.json`. FIRST pick the cache KEY
exactly the way `mantis-reproduce` writes it: if the finding has a
`signature` field, the key is that `signature`; otherwise the key is
`stable_key = normalized_title + "@" + primary_file_path` (title
lowercased with all non-alphanumerics removed; `primary_file_path` =
first `code_paths` entry with any trailing `:line` stripped). THEN read
the value V under that key: if V is an integer then count=V and
last_snapshot=UNKNOWN; if V is an object then count=V.count and
last_snapshot=V.last_snapshot (default UNKNOWN). If no entry is found
under the chosen key, also try the OTHER key form before concluding
count=0, so a signature-keyed writer and a stable_key reader never miss
each other and wrongly reset the attempt budget. (The cache mixes both
value forms AND both key styles during migration.)
1. **Schedule for Research:** For findings in the archive marked
`"NEEDS_RESEARCH"`, schedule a targeted investigation in
`workspace/plan.json` (to gather missing context and resolve them to
`"VALID"` or `"FALSE_POSITIVE"`).
2. **Copy for Retry (snapshot-gated) or Re-discover:** For each archived
finding that would otherwise be retry-eligible (repro not attempted,
or `failed_to_reproduce` with fewer than 2 attempts per the cache read
rule above, or `patch_status` in
{`VERIFICATION_FAILED`,`ERROR`,`VERIFICATION_INCOMPLETE`}), run:
```
SNAPSHOT MATCH CHECK for finding F (decides MATCHED vs NOT_MATCHED):
1. If snapshot_pinned is false -> NOT_MATCHED. Stop.
2. Read F.discovery_commit:
- missing OR empty OR the literal "MIXED" -> NOT_MATCHED.
- not exactly equal to SNAPSHOT_ID -> NOT_MATCHED.
- exactly equal to SNAPSHOT_ID -> MATCHED.
There is no other route to MATCHED; never fuzzy-compare. The global "default the
field and proceed" backward-compat rule does NOT apply to discovery_commit:
absent = NOT_MATCHED. (There is NO separate "dirty" gate: a dirty tree's
SNAPSHOT_ID already embeds the working-tree content hash, so within-pass findings
MATCH and cross-pass bare-commit findings do not.)
```
Then decide mechanically:
- **COPY VERBATIM** (fast retry) ONLY if ALL hold: Block B is MATCHED
for the finding, AND its primary file (first `code_paths`, line
stripped) is NOT in `changed_files`, AND that file EXISTS under
CODE_ROOT. Copy the archived `<uuid>.json` back to
`workspace/findings/<uuid>.json` preserving the UUID **and its
ORIGINAL `discovery_commit`** (do not re-stamp it — drift must stay
detectable).
- **MODE-OFF bypass (3-state rule):** if `active_snapshot` is ABSENT
in state (MODE-OFF — no `--sync` was requested), Block B always
returns NOT_MATCHED (`snapshot_pinned is false -> NOT_MATCHED`), so
the COPY-VERBATIM gate above never fires and every retry- eligible
finding is RE-DISCOVERed — a regression from today's behavior
(today, pass ≥2 carries forward unchanged findings when the file
still exists). In MODE-OFF, COPY-VERBATIM when the finding's primary
file (first `code_paths`, line stripped) EXISTS under CODE_ROOT
(drop the `Block B MATCHED` and `file NOT in changed_files`
conjuncts — there is no `changed_files` diff in MODE-OFF anyway).
This mirrors `mantis-patch`'s LEGACY-mode carve- out
(`patch:133-138`, `patch:172-174`). Do NOT gate the bypass on
`snapshot_pinned==false` — that would also catch HALT mode, where
the STALE banner legitimately marks the finding as needing
re-verification. Gate ONLY on `active_snapshot` absent. (Do NOT
change Block B itself — it is character-identical across skills per
`README_AGENTS.md:711-718` block-fidelity warning; the fix goes in
plan's CONSUMERS of Block B, not Block B.)
- **RE-DISCOVER** in every other case (Block B NOT_MATCHED, or file in
`changed_files`, or file missing, or
`changed_files_status`==UNKNOWN): do NOT copy back. Instead append a
fresh investigation to `workspace/plan.json` that embeds the
finding's `title`, `description`, and `repro_hints`, sets
`target_files` to the old code_paths' directory subtree(s) PLUS a
repository-wide symbol/keyword search for the finding's
function/struct/title terms (so a moved/renamed bug is re-found),
and asks the researcher to re-derive the exact lines on the CURRENT
snapshot. Additionally, record a history note
`unconfirmed-regression-pending` on the archived finding so it is
never silently dropped until a pass re-discovers it or a human
dismisses it.
- **Line/AST Re-anchoring (Phase 2 incremental efficiency):** Before
falling back to full RE-DISCOVER, attempt to re-anchor the finding's
line numbers to the CURRENT snapshot using forward line-tracking
(reverse blame or diff-hunk offset). This is an optimization: if the
finding's primary function/symbol still exists nearby, re-anchoring
produces a line-number HINT that focuses the RE-DISCOVER
investigation — it does NOT replace re-verification (the snapshot
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