# Mantis Plan > 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. - Skill: `google/mantis-plan` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add google/mantis-plan` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/google/mantis-plan/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Product & Planning - Author: Google (https://skillmd.com/u/google) - Updated: 2026-09-09 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/google/mantis-plan --- # 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 ":". A code_paths entry containing "://" is a URL/endpoint, NOT a file read. A code_paths entry that is NOT of the form : 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\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\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 `.json` back to `workspace/findings/.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 changed, so the finding is still re-researched downstream). - **How:** Translate the finding's old line FORWARD from PREV to CUR (do NOT blame PREV in isolation — that returns the line as of PREV and does not map it forward). Run in the LIVE repo root (Block A step 5 carve-out): git : `git blame --reverse .. -L , -- ` (reverse blame follows the line forward to CUR), or add the hunk offset from `git diff -- ` to ``. Then read the mapped line in CODE_ROOT (the current pinned snapshot) and confirm the finding's primary function/symbol is present within ±50 lines. This yields a CANDIDATE new line number only — a search hint for RE-DISCOVER, never a trusted re-validation. - **When re-anchoring SUCCEEDS** (symbol found at the mapped line): use the new line number to FOCUS this finding's RE-DISCOVER investigation (point the researcher at the mapped `code_paths` location first). Do NOT convert the finding to COPY-VERBATIM and do NOT skip re-verification: Block B is NOT_MATCHED, so the finding is still re-researched/re-reproduced downstream (a symbol can exist at the mapped line yet already be FIXED). Keep `discovery_commit`, `signature`, and `lineage_id` unchanged; add a history note `re-anchored: -> (search hint)`. - **When re-anchoring FAILS** (function deleted, symbol not found, diff too large, blame errors, or the code at the old line is completely different): fall back to full RE-DISCOVER as above. This is the conservative guardrail: on ANY uncertainty, re-discover. - **Never use re-anchoring to suppress or drop a finding.** It is purely a fast-path for line-number updates; if it fails, the finding is still re-discovered via the normal path. - **VCS-agnostic:** For hg, diff `PREV:CUR` (`hg diff --rev PREV:CUR -- `) and apply the hunk offset to `` to get the forward-mapped line. For no-VCS/binary targets, re-anchoring is not applicable; always fall back to RE-DISCOVER. - **NEVER copy back** a finding whose `"status"` is `"FALSE_POSITIVE"`, or `"patch_status"` is `"VERIFIED_SECURE"`, or `"repro_status"` is `"reproduced"` (unless patch failed as above), or that has reached the 2-attempt cap for the CURRENT snapshot. But if such a finding's file IS in `changed_files` or Block B is NOT_MATCHED, treat it as a possible regression: RE-DISCOVER it (do not trust the old terminal verdict against changed code). **MODE-OFF carve-out:** if `active_snapshot` is ABSENT (MODE-OFF), drop the `or Block B is NOT_MATCHED` disjunct above — in MODE-OFF, Block B is NOT_MATCHED for every finding (artifact of no snapshot, not a signal of drift), so leaving the disjunct in would re-open every terminal verdict (FALSE_POSITIVE/VERIFIED_SECURE/reproduced) every pass. In MODE-OFF, rely ONLY on `file IS in changed_files` (which is vacuously false in MODE-OFF — there is no `changed_files` diff), so terminal findings are carried forward unchanged. This is today's behavior. - **Changed / new attack-surface coverage (MANDATORY):** Add an investigation titled `Exhaustive Review: ` for EVERY path in `changed_files` (whether or not it maps to an archived finding). If `changed_files_status`==UNKNOWN AND `active_snapshot` is present (HALT or PINNED mode — a sync was requested this pass), OR a sync occurred this pass (`snapshot_id` != the previous `snapshot_history` entry's id), you CANNOT trust a narrow set: fall back to a full **Mode A** exhaustive crawl for this pass EVEN IF `kb/index.md` exists (this is the only way to catch newly added files). However, in MODE-OFF (no `active_snapshot` — no `--sync`), do NOT force a full Mode-A crawl in pass ≥2 even if `changed_files_status`==UNKNOWN: this is today's default behavior, and forcing Mode-A on every MODE-OFF pass ≥2 would be a regression. In MODE-OFF, rely on the existing `kb/index.md` (Mode B) for narrowing, as today. - **Dependency-aware fan-out (Phase 2 incremental efficiency):** When `changed_files_status` is known (not UNKNOWN) and a dependency graph is available, EXPAND the investigation scope beyond just the changed files themselves. The goal: identify files that IMPORT or DEPEND ON the changed files, so the planner can schedule targeted investigations for consumers of the changed code (not just the changed code itself). - **How:** Start with the file-level dependency graph (`workspace/kb/dependencies.json` or entity-relationship markdown) as the mandatory floor: for each changed file F, find all files that import F (directly or transitively up to 2 hops). Add these dependent files to the investigation scope as `Exhaustive Review: ` entries. Then ADD structural index callers on top: use the query helper (`workspace/helpers/query_structural_index.py`) for function-level precision when available — call `resolve_symbol()` for a changed file's exported functions, then `find_callers()` to enumerate dependents at the symbol level. Schedule investigations for the UNION of dependency-graph-found dependents and structural-index-found callers — they are complementary, not alternatives. If the structural index is absent (no `manifest.json`), empty, or the query helper is missing, the dependency graph alone remains the floor. - **When to use:** ONLY when `changed_files_status` is known AND the KB contains dependency information. If the KB lacks an import/build graph, or the KB is stale (check `kb_snapshot_id` in `workspace/.mantis_state.json` against `SNAPSHOT_ID` — if they differ, the KB was built against a different snapshot and may be stale), fall back to the Phase-1 behavior (full Mode-A crawl or Mode-B narrowing). - **Guardrail:** If the dependency graph is incomplete, stale, or any uncertainty arises, fall back to Phase-1 re-discovery (treat ALL files as potentially affected). Never use dependency narrowing to DROP an investigation — it can only ADD targeted investigations for dependent files. The changed files themselves are ALWAYS investigated regardless. - **VCS-agnostic:** The dependency graph is derived from the KB's architecture analysis, not from VCS metadata. It works for any language with import/include/use statements that the KB has indexed. - **Structural Index Queries (HINT-only enhancement):** When a structural index is available (`workspace/kb/structural_index/manifest.json` exists), use it to SUPPLEMENT the dependency-aware fan-out above with precise, symbol-level caller discovery. The structural index decides ORDER of investigation priority, NEVER MEMBERSHIP of the audit set. - **Resolution-first protocol (MANDATORY):** Before querying callers, resolve the symbol: `python3 workspace/helpers/query_structural_index.py resolve_symbol --name "" [--language ""] [--file ""] --state_root ` If the response has `ambiguous: true`, do NOT silently pick one match. Narrow with `--file`/`--language`, or schedule investigations for ALL matched symbols. - **Bounded caller queries:** Once resolved, query callers with explicit bounds: `python3 workspace/helpers/query_structural_index.py find_callers --symbol_id "" --limit 100 --offset 0 --state_root ` Paginate with `--offset` if `has_more` is true. - **Coverage-aware interpretation:** Check `coverage.partition_status` in every structural index response: - `complete` + `precision == semantic` + no callers = "no indexed callers" — the partition is fully indexed with a semantic backend, so the empty result is authoritative for indexed code. Still run grep per the HINT-only rule (grep catches macro-based calls, function pointers, and dynamic dispatch). - `complete` + `precision != semantic` + no callers = "no indexed callers" — the partition is complete but precision is below semantic, so the empty result is NOT authoritative. MUST run exhaustive grep fallback. - `partial` / `empty` / `failed` + no callers = "not fully indexed" — the partition is not complete, so expand the investigation scope and MUST run exhaustive grep fallback. - **Guardrails:** - HINT-only: structural index results decide ORDER, never MEMBERSHIP. They prioritize which dependent files to investigate first; they MUST NEVER cause a file to be dropped from the audit scope. - Every result carries `precision` and `backend` fields — use `precision` (`semantic` > `typecheck` > `ast` > `symbol-only` > `heuristic` > `deferred` > `coverage-only`) to weight trust in the result. - If the structural index is absent (no `manifest.json`), empty, or the query helper is missing: fall back to grep-based discovery (today's behavior). The structural index is a coverage HINT only. - **Context Injection (`kb_references`):** For each investigation you plan, you must determine which files in the `workspace/kb/` directory (e.g., `workspace/kb/entities/auth_module.md` or `workspace/kb/vulnerabilities/CWE-79.md`) provide necessary context for the researcher. Include the exact file paths to these markdown files in the `"kb_references"` array for that investigation. This shifts the burden of context-gathering off the researcher. - **Exploratory/Unconstrained Investigations (Moderate Probability):** With a moderate probability (e.g., a 25-50% chance per planning pass), include either an unconstrained adversarial sweep or a random exploration in the plan: 1. **Adversarial Sweep:** Select a component or directory that the threat model currently marks as safe, low-risk, or out of scope. Instruct the researcher to perform an unconstrained sweep, ignoring safety assumptions in `workspace/kb/THREAT_MODEL.md`. 2. **Random Digging:** Select a random starting position (file or directory) in the codebase. The question for this investigation should be minimal and open-ended, simply instructing the researcher to "dig into" or "explore" the selected area without specific threat-model context or pre-defined vulnerability classes. Set `kb_references` to an empty list for this investigation to ensure a fresh look. **Token Optimization:** Whether using a script (Mode A) or your file-writing tools (Mode B), write the plan directly to disk and do not print the JSON contents in your chat response. 3. **Schema Enforcement:** Regardless of the mode, the final `workspace/plan.json` file written to disk should match the following schema to ensure downstream auditing agents can parse it correctly: ### Plan Schema Format ```json { "investigations": [ { "title": "Exhaustive Review: [relative_file_path]", "target_files": ["[relative_file_path_1]", "[relative_file_path_2]"], "kb_references": ["workspace/kb/entities/auth_module.md", "workspace/kb/vulnerabilities/CWE-79.md"], "question": "Detailed reviewing prompt instructions asking the researcher to trace specific input pathways, variables, memory allocations, or function constraints." } ] } ``` Ensure `workspace/plan.json` is successfully written. When you have finished, notify the user.