fix: harden recurring scrape scripts from review residuals

Use max message ID for incremental exports, validate custom cron
expressions, drop eval from host/preflight paths, restrict reauth to
executable repo scripts, and run smoke tests in CI.

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

.github/workflows/main.yml

@@ -50,6 +50,30 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ failure() && steps.verify.outcome == 'failure' }}
         run: echo "::error title=Bad formatting::Formatting issues detected. Please build the solution locally to fix them."
 
+  recurring-scrape-smoke:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 10
+
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6.0.2
+
+      - name: Install jq
+        run: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y jq
+
+      - name: Run recurring scrape smoke tests
+        run: |
+          chmod +x scripts/*.sh scripts/tests/*.sh
+          ./scripts/tests/run-discord-scrape-smoke.sh
+          ./scripts/tests/error-path-smoke.sh
+          ./scripts/tests/cron-idempotency-smoke.sh
+          ./scripts/tests/end-to-end-preflight-smoke.sh
+          ./scripts/tests/setup-cron-smoke.sh
+          ./scripts/tests/run-discord-scrape-host-smoke.sh
+
   test:
     # Tests need access to secrets, so we can't run them against PRs because of limited trust
     if: ${{ github.event_name != 'pull_request' }}

docs/plans/2026-05-27-004-fix-recurring-scrape-residual-hardening-plan.md

@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+---
+title: fix: Harden recurring scrape scripts from code review residuals
+type: fix
+status: completed
+date: 2026-05-27
+origin: PR #1538 residual review findings
+---
+
+# fix: Harden recurring scrape scripts from code review residuals
+
+## Summary
+
+Address actionable security and correctness findings deferred from the finalization validation pass on `feat/recurring-cli-scrape`. Scope is limited to script-layer hardening and CI wiring—no C# exporter changes.
+
+## Problem Frame
+
+The recurring scrape automation is validated by smoke tests but still has review-flagged risks: arbitrary command execution via `eval`/`bash -lc`, unvalidated custom cron expressions, incorrect incremental cursor selection, and smoke tests not running in CI.
+
+## Requirements
+
+| ID | Requirement | Files |
+|----|-------------|-------|
+| U1 | Incremental exports must use the highest message snowflake ID, not the last array element | `scripts/run-discord-scrape.sh`, smoke fixture + assertion |
+| U2 | `--cron` expressions must be validated (five fields, safe charset) before crontab install | `scripts/setup-cron.sh`, smoke test |
+| U3 | Host runner and setup preflight must invoke compose without `eval` | `scripts/run-discord-scrape-host.sh`, `scripts/setup-cron.sh` |
+| U4 | `DCE_REAUTH_COMMAND` must be an executable script under the repo root (no `bash -lc` arbitrary strings) | `scripts/run-discord-scrape-host.sh` |
+| U5 | Recurring scrape smoke suite runs in GitHub Actions on PR/push | `.github/workflows/main.yml` |
+
+## Implementation Units
+
+### U1 — max message ID cursor
+
+- Change `last_message_id` to `max_by(.id)` with empty-array guard.
+- Add fixture where max ID is not the last message; extend fake CLI to log/assert `--after` value.
+
+### U2 — cron validation
+
+- Add `validate_cron_expression` called when `CRON_EXPRESSION` is set.
+- Reject invalid field counts and shell metacharacters.
+
+### U3 — remove eval
+
+- Refactor `compose_run_command` to populate a bash array via nameref; execute with `"${args[@]}"`.
+- Refactor `build_target_args` / `run_preflight` similarly.
+
+### U4 — reauth script allowlist
+
+- Resolve and require absolute path under `$REPO_ROOT`, executable file.
+- Execute directly instead of `bash -lc`.
+
+### U5 — CI smoke job
+
+- Add `recurring-scrape-smoke` job: install `jq`, run all `scripts/tests/*-smoke.sh` scripts.
+
+## Test Scenarios
+
+- Smoke: unordered archive still passes `--after` with max ID.
+- Smoke: invalid `--cron` exits non-zero before crontab mutation.
+- CI: new job passes on clean branch.
+
+## Out of Scope
+
+- Changing upstream PR approval for fork workflows.
+- Replacing `%q` cron job line construction (values are operator-controlled paths).
+
+## Success Criteria
+
+- All existing smoke scripts pass locally.
+- Residual P0/P1 script findings from review are resolved or explicitly superseded by this plan.

scrape.env.example

@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ DISCORD_TOKEN=
 # Optional: file whose first line contains DISCORD_TOKEN. Useful for token rotation without editing this env file.
 DISCORD_TOKEN_FILE=
 # Optional (manual runs only): command to refresh Discord auth/session before one retry.
-# Example: DCE_REAUTH_COMMAND="agent-browser --headed open https://discord.com/channels/@me"
+# Optional absolute path to an executable reauth script under the repository root.
+# Example: DCE_REAUTH_COMMAND="/path/to/repo/scripts/reauth-discord.sh"
 DCE_REAUTH_COMMAND=
 TZ=UTC
 

scripts/run-discord-scrape-host.sh

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ Options:
 Environment:
   DISCORD_TOKEN            Direct token value (highest precedence after refresh).
   DISCORD_TOKEN_FILE       Optional path to a file containing the Discord token.
-  DCE_REAUTH_COMMAND       Optional command to run for interactive/manual reauth when auth fails.
+  DCE_REAUTH_COMMAND       Optional absolute path to an executable reauth script under the repo root.
 EOF
 }
 
@@ -92,13 +92,14 @@ ensure_token_present() {
   [[ -n "${DISCORD_TOKEN:-}" ]] || die "DISCORD_TOKEN is not set. Set DISCORD_TOKEN or DISCORD_TOKEN_FILE in $ENV_FILE."
 }
 
-compose_run_command() {
+compose_run_args() {
-  local subcommand=$1
+  local -n _out=$1
-  shift
+  local subcommand=$2
-  local -a command_parts
+  shift 2
 
+  _out=()
   if [[ -n "$COMPOSE_BIN" ]]; then
-    command_parts=(
+    _out=(
       "$COMPOSE_BIN"
       --env-file "$ENV_FILE"
       -f "$COMPOSE_FILE"
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ compose_run_command() {
       "$subcommand"
     )
   elif (( DOCKER_BIN_OVERRIDDEN == 0 )) && command -v docker-compose >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    command_parts=(
+    _out=(
       docker-compose
       --env-file "$ENV_FILE"
       -f "$COMPOSE_FILE"
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ compose_run_command() {
       "$subcommand"
     )
   else
-    command_parts=(
+    _out=(
       "$DOCKER_BIN"
       compose
       --env-file "$ENV_FILE"
@@ -133,8 +134,26 @@ compose_run_command() {
     )
   fi
 
-  command_parts+=("$@")
+  _out+=("$@")
-  printf '%q ' "${command_parts[@]}"
+}
+
+resolve_reauth_command() {
+  local candidate=$1
+  local resolved_dir resolved_path
+
+  [[ -n "$candidate" ]] || return 1
+  [[ "$candidate" == /* ]] || die "DCE_REAUTH_COMMAND must be an absolute path to an executable script under the repository."
+
+  resolved_dir=$(cd "$(dirname "$candidate")" && pwd -P)
+  resolved_path="$resolved_dir/$(basename "$candidate")"
+  [[ -f "$resolved_path" ]] || die "DCE_REAUTH_COMMAND does not exist: $candidate"
+  [[ -x "$resolved_path" ]] || die "DCE_REAUTH_COMMAND is not executable: $candidate"
+  case "$resolved_path" in
+    "$REPO_ROOT"/*) ;;
+    *) die "DCE_REAUTH_COMMAND must be a script inside the repository root." ;;
+  esac
+
+  printf '%s\n' "$resolved_path"
 }
 
 is_discord_auth_failure() {
@@ -145,22 +164,26 @@ is_discord_auth_failure() {
 }
 
 try_interactive_reauth() {
+  local reauth_script
+
   [[ -n "$REAUTH_COMMAND" ]] || return 1
   [[ -t 0 && -t 1 ]] || return 1
+  reauth_script=$(resolve_reauth_command "$REAUTH_COMMAND")
   printf 'Auth failed; running DCE_REAUTH_COMMAND...\n' >&2
-  bash -lc "$REAUTH_COMMAND"
+  "$reauth_script"
 }
 
 run_subcommand_with_retry() {
   local subcommand=$1
   shift
-  local run_command output_file
+  local -a run_args=()
+  local output_file
 
   ensure_token_present
   output_file=$(mktemp "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/dce-host-run.XXXXXX.log")
 
-  run_command=$(compose_run_command "$subcommand" "$@")
+  compose_run_args run_args "$subcommand" "$@"
-  if eval "$run_command" >"$output_file" 2>&1; then
+  if "${run_args[@]}" >"$output_file" 2>&1; then
     cat "$output_file"
     rm -f "$output_file"
     return 0
@@ -178,7 +201,7 @@ run_subcommand_with_retry() {
   try_interactive_reauth || true
   ensure_token_present
 
-  if eval "$run_command" >"$output_file" 2>&1; then
+  if "${run_args[@]}" >"$output_file" 2>&1; then
     cat "$output_file"
     rm -f "$output_file"
     return 0

scripts/run-discord-scrape.sh

@@ -331,7 +331,10 @@ last_message_id() {
   local export_path=$1
 
   [[ -f "$export_path" ]] || return 0
-  jq -r '(.messages | last | .id) // empty' "$export_path"
+  jq -r '
+    (.messages // [])
+    | if length == 0 then empty else (max_by(.id) | .id) end
+  ' "$export_path"
 }
 
 message_count() {

scripts/setup-cron.sh

@@ -97,25 +97,37 @@ strip_existing_job() {
   ' <<<"$existing_crontab"
 }
 
-build_target_args() {
+validate_cron_expression() {
-  local -a command_parts
+  local expr=$1
+  local -a fields=()
+  local field
+
+  read -r -a fields <<<"$expr"
+  ((${#fields[@]} == 5)) || die "--cron must contain exactly five fields (minute hour day month weekday)."
+
+  for field in "${fields[@]}"; do
+    [[ -n "$field" ]] || die "Empty field in --cron expression."
+    [[ "$field" =~ ^[0-9*,/-]+$ ]] || die "Invalid cron field '$field' in --cron expression."
+  done
+}
+
+append_target_args() {
+  local -n _out=$1
 
   local target
   for target in "${TARGETS[@]}"; do
-    command_parts+=(--target "$target")
+    _out+=(--target "$target")
   done
 
   local guild_id
   for guild_id in "${GUILDS[@]}"; do
-    command_parts+=(--guild "$guild_id")
+    _out+=(--guild "$guild_id")
   done
 
   local channel_id
   for channel_id in "${CHANNELS[@]}"; do
-    command_parts+=(--channel "$channel_id")
+    _out+=(--channel "$channel_id")
   done
-
-  printf '%q ' "${command_parts[@]}"
 }
 
 ensure_target_directories() {
@@ -162,12 +174,17 @@ validate_targets() {
 }
 
 run_preflight() {
-  local preflight_command target_args
+  local -a preflight_args=()
 
   [[ -f "$ENV_FILE" ]] || die "Missing env file: $ENV_FILE"
-  target_args=$(build_target_args)
+  preflight_args=(
-  preflight_command="$(printf '%q ' "$HOST_RUNNER") --env-file $(printf '%q' "$ENV_FILE") --compose-file $(printf '%q' "$COMPOSE_FILE") preflight ${target_args}"
+    "$HOST_RUNNER"
-  eval "$preflight_command"
+    --env-file "$ENV_FILE"
+    --compose-file "$COMPOSE_FILE"
+    preflight
+  )
+  append_target_args preflight_args
+  "${preflight_args[@]}"
 }
 
 main() {
@@ -263,6 +280,7 @@ main() {
 
   local cron_line
   if [[ -n "$CRON_EXPRESSION" ]]; then
+    validate_cron_expression "$CRON_EXPRESSION"
     cron_line=$CRON_EXPRESSION
   else
     cron_line=$(cron_from_schedule "$INTERVAL" "$RUN_AT")
@@ -270,7 +288,8 @@ main() {
 
   local begin_marker="# BEGIN ${JOB_NAME}"
   local end_marker="# END ${JOB_NAME}"
-  local current_crontab cleaned_crontab scrape_command target_args job_line lock_prefix
+  local current_crontab cleaned_crontab scrape_command job_line lock_prefix
+  local -a scrape_args=()
   current_crontab=$("$CRONTAB_BIN" -l 2>/dev/null || true)
   cleaned_crontab=$(strip_existing_job "$current_crontab" "$begin_marker" "$end_marker")
 
@@ -291,8 +310,14 @@ main() {
     run_preflight
   fi
 
-  target_args=$(build_target_args)
+  scrape_args=(
-  scrape_command="$(printf '%q ' "$HOST_RUNNER") --env-file $(printf '%q' "$ENV_FILE") --compose-file $(printf '%q' "$COMPOSE_FILE") scrape ${target_args}"
+    "$HOST_RUNNER"
+    --env-file "$ENV_FILE"
+    --compose-file "$COMPOSE_FILE"
+    scrape
+  )
+  append_target_args scrape_args
+  scrape_command=$(printf '%q ' "${scrape_args[@]}")
   if command -v flock >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     lock_prefix=$(printf '%q ' "$(command -v flock)" "-n" "/tmp/${JOB_NAME}.lock")
   else

scripts/tests/run-discord-scrape-smoke.sh

@@ -94,6 +94,14 @@ cat >"$CONFIG_PATH" <<JSON
       "channel_ids": ["111"],
       "guild_ids": [],
       "guild_name_patterns": []
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "cursor-max-id",
+      "kind": "guild",
+      "output_dir": "$ARCHIVE_ROOT/cursor-max-id",
+      "channel_ids": ["111"],
+      "guild_ids": [],
+      "guild_name_patterns": []
     }
   ]
 }
@@ -111,13 +119,22 @@ shift || true
 case "$subcommand" in
   export)
     output=""
+    after=""
     while (($#)); do
       case "$1" in
         --output)
           output=$2
           shift 2
           ;;
-        --channel|--format|--after)
+        --after)
+          after=$2
+          if [[ -n "${FAKE_DCE_EXPECT_AFTER:-}" && "$after" != "${FAKE_DCE_EXPECT_AFTER}" ]]; then
+            echo "unexpected --after value: $after (expected ${FAKE_DCE_EXPECT_AFTER})" >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          shift 2
+          ;;
+        --channel|--format)
           shift 2
           ;;
         *)
@@ -129,6 +146,7 @@ case "$subcommand" in
     case "$mode" in
       initial) cp "$fixture_dir/append-existing.json" "$output" ;;
       append) cp "$fixture_dir/append-incremental.json" "$output" ;;
+      append-after-high-id) cp "$fixture_dir/append-after-high-id.json" "$output" ;;
       partial-write) cp "$fixture_dir/append-partial-write.json" "$output" ;;
       concurrent-conflict) cp "$fixture_dir/append-concurrent-conflict.json" "$output" ;;
       wrong-channel) cp "$fixture_dir/wrong-channel.json" "$output" ;;
@@ -153,6 +171,7 @@ run_wrapper() {
   DCE_FALLBACK_CONFIG="$CONFIG_PATH" \
   FAKE_DCE_FIXTURE_DIR="$FIXTURE_DIR" \
   FAKE_DCE_MODE="$mode" \
+  FAKE_DCE_EXPECT_AFTER="${FAKE_DCE_EXPECT_AFTER:-}" \
   "$REPO_ROOT/scripts/run-discord-scrape.sh" scrape --target "$target_name"
 }
 
@@ -262,5 +281,11 @@ IDEMPOTENT_CHECKSUM_2=$(sha256sum "$IDEMPOTENT_DEST" | awk '{print $1}')
 [[ "$(jq -r '.channel.id' "$DEST")" == "111" ]] || { echo "expected channel id to be preserved after merge" >&2; exit 1; }
 [[ "$(jq -r '.messages[0] | has("id") and has("timestamp") and has("content")' "$DEST")" == "true" ]] || { echo "expected message structure to be complete after merge" >&2; exit 1; }
 
+mkdir -p "$ARCHIVE_ROOT/cursor-max-id"
+cp "$FIXTURE_DIR/append-unordered-cursor.json" "$ARCHIVE_ROOT/cursor-max-id/$DEFAULT_FILE_NAME"
+FAKE_DCE_EXPECT_AFTER=999 run_wrapper cursor-max-id append-after-high-id
+CURSOR_DEST="$ARCHIVE_ROOT/cursor-max-id/$DEFAULT_FILE_NAME"
+[[ "$(jq -r '.messages | length' "$CURSOR_DEST")" == "4" ]] || { echo "expected cursor-max-id archive to contain four messages" >&2; exit 1; }
+
 echo "U1: append-only merge test coverage passed"
 

scripts/tests/setup-cron-smoke.sh

@@ -129,4 +129,12 @@ cmp -s "$CRONTAB_FILE" "$TMP_DIR/crontab-before-preflight-fail.txt" || {
   exit 1
 }
 
+if run_setup --cron "0 2 * * *; touch /tmp/evil" --skip-preflight 2>/dev/null; then
+  echo "expected invalid --cron expression to fail validation" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+preview_custom_cron=$(run_setup --cron "15 03 * * 0" --skip-preflight --dry-run)
+grep -q '^15 03 \* \* 0 ' <<<"$preview_custom_cron" || { echo "expected validated custom cron in dry-run output" >&2; exit 1; }
+
 echo "setup-cron smoke test passed"

scripts/tests/test-fixtures/append-after-high-id.json

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+{
+  "guild": {
+    "id": "222",
+    "name": "Fixture Guild"
+  },
+  "channel": {
+    "id": "111",
+    "name": "fixture-room",
+    "category": "Testing Grounds"
+  },
+  "messages": [
+    {
+      "id": "1000",
+      "timestamp": "2026-01-03T00:00:00Z",
+      "content": "after-high-id"
+    }
+  ],
+  "dateRange": {
+    "after": "999",
+    "before": null
+  },
+  "exportedAt": "2026-01-03T00:00:00Z"
+}

scripts/tests/test-fixtures/append-unordered-cursor.json

@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+{
+  "guild": {
+    "id": "222",
+    "name": "Fixture Guild"
+  },
+  "channel": {
+    "id": "111",
+    "name": "fixture-room",
+    "category": "Testing Grounds"
+  },
+  "messages": [
+    {
+      "id": "1",
+      "timestamp": "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+      "content": "first"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "999",
+      "timestamp": "2026-01-01T12:00:00Z",
+      "content": "high-id-not-last"
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "2",
+      "timestamp": "2026-01-02T00:00:00Z",
+      "content": "second"
+    }
+  ],
+  "dateRange": {
+    "after": null,
+    "before": null
+  },
+  "exportedAt": "2026-01-02T00:00:00Z"
+}