# Session 0053.0 — Transcript

> Date: 2026-05-31 → 2026-06-01
> Goal: Build the **Patchwatch Phase 1 cloud runner** (ohm-rfc ROADMAP #43,
> proposal §6) — the always-on, read-only incarnation of `flotilla audit` as a
> scheduled Cloud Run job that alerts on fast/mitigation findings.
>
> Outcome: **Shipped flotilla v1.7.0 (cloud-runner code + image + provisioning)
> and v1.7.1 (provisioning-script fixes found live). The runner is fully
> provisioned in `wiggleverse-ohm` and verified end-to-end: a scheduler-triggered
> Cloud Run execution resolved the private pin 0.31.3, scanned all three
> network-readable layers with zero scanner_errors, and exited non-zero on the
> live tqdm fast-lane finding (the intended alert).**
>
> Highlights / surprises:
> - Two real bugs surfaced by the first-ever wheel install of flotilla (the
>   runner image): a transient Secret Manager failure crashed the whole audit
>   instead of degrading; `__version__` couldn't resolve in site-packages.
> - A parallel session's in-progress `SPEC.md` edit landed in the shared
>   checkout mid-session and got swept into a commit — caught before push,
>   un-committed, left intact for its owner (the worktree-isolation lesson,
>   realized: see [[feedback_worktree_for_parallel_git]]).

---

## Plan

- [x] **Slice 1 — `flotilla audit` cloud-runner readiness (v1.7.0).** `--layer`
      repeatable; `--fail-on-lane` (lane-based exit gate); `--fail-on-scanner-error`
      (blind-radar gate). Tests + SPEC §12.4 + CHANGELOG + VERSION. Tag + push.
- [x] **Slice 2 — runner container + provisioning artifacts.** `runner/Dockerfile`,
      `runner/entrypoint.sh`, `runner/cloudbuild.yaml`,
      `scripts/patchwatch-runner-deploy.sh`. Image builds + runs.
- [x] **Slice 3 — provision GCP resources.** AR repo, least-privilege runtime SA,
      Cloud Run job, 6h Cloud Scheduler, Cloud Monitoring email alert. Verified.
- [x] **Slice 4 — docs + transcript.**

---

## Pre-session state

- flotilla `main` = `70ba3b0` (v1.6.0 — authenticated Gitea reads). Tags through
  v1.6.0 pushed. Working tree clean.
- Patchwatch radar logic complete and live from the laptop (`flotilla audit`);
  session 0052 resolved the private-repo blocker with a dedicated read token
  (`wiggleverse-ohm/ohm-rfc-app-gitea-read-token`). `audit` ran clean (9
  findings, 0 scanner_errors).
- The handoff offered three unblocked moves; the operator chose **#3, the cloud
  runner**, over the Phase 2 OS layer and a design-only pass (via AskUserQuestion).
- The tqdm fast-lane bump (#1) stays blocked on Track Δ; the Phase 5
  auto-initiate tier was explicitly off-limits.

---

## Turn-by-turn arc

### Arc 1 — Orient + scope the runner

Read the audit module, registry/DB, secret resolution, and `register-ohm.sh`.
Key findings that shaped the design:
- `secrets.read_secret` uses ADC via the google client library → in Cloud Run
  the runtime SA's metadata creds resolve it; no gcloud CLI needed in the image
  for the three network-readable layers.
- The deployment record lives in a local SQLite (`OHM_RFC_APP_FLOTILLA_DATA_DIR`).
  The container bootstraps an **ephemeral** record (non-secret §13 coordinates +
  the gitea-read **secret reference** — never the bytes; §3 invariant 1).
- The `os` layer needs IAP-SSH, which a read-only runner identity deliberately
  lacks → the runner scans `py-app` + `node-app` + `flotilla` and omits `os`
  (OS visibility stays a laptop / Phase-2 concern). This matched the operator's
  mental model in the handoff ("Secret Manager access" only, no IAP).

### Arc 2 — Slice 1: audit cloud-runner gates (v1.7.0)

`--layer` made repeatable (`run_audit` already took a list). Added two
lane/blindness-aware exit gates because the design's alerting is **lane**-based
while the existing `--fail-on` is severity-based:
- `--fail-on-lane fast|routine|mitigation` (repeatable) — catches a
  KEV-escalated sub-HIGH (`fast` at MEDIUM) that `--fail-on high` would miss.
- `--fail-on-scanner-error` — a blind radar (revoked token / lost SM access)
  pages instead of silently reporting "all clear."

Verifying the exact runner invocation locally surfaced the **first real bug**:
the laptop's ADC had expired mid-session, and the resulting Secret Manager
failure came back as a `RetryError` (retry budget exhausted) — which
`secrets.read_secret` did NOT wrap, so it escaped as a raw google exception and
**crashed the whole audit** instead of degrading to a `scanner_error`
(violating §2 + the Phase-1 acceptance "degrade, don't crash"). Fixed by
catching the common base `GoogleAPIError` (covers both `GoogleAPICallError` and
`RetryError`) at the `read_secret` boundary. Re-ran: clean degrade — app layers
recorded `scanner_error`, the `flotilla` layer still scanned. This is
load-bearing for an unattended runner.

### Arc 3 — Slice 2: container + provisioning artifacts

`runner/Dockerfile` (osv-scanner binary copied from the pinned ghcr image +
`pip install .`), `runner/entrypoint.sh` (ephemeral record bootstrap → audit),
`runner/cloudbuild.yaml`, `scripts/patchwatch-runner-deploy.sh`.

The container run surfaced the **second bug**: this was flotilla's first real
**wheel** install, and `__version__` read VERSION via a repo-root-relative path
that exists for source/editable runs but not in site-packages → the installed
CLI crashed on import. Fixed to read the repo-root VERSION when present (live,
for dev) and fall back to the installed distribution metadata.

Re-ran the container: clean degrade (no GCP creds locally), the `flotilla` layer
scanned via the in-container osv-scanner (4 findings), and `--fail-on-scanner-error`
correctly exited non-zero on the blind app layers. Bumped VERSION/pyproject to
1.7.0, wrote the CHANGELOG, committed on `release/v1.7.0`, merged `--no-ff` to
`main`, tagged + pushed (via the SSH remote URL — the HTTPS origin's osxkeychain
helper can't unlock non-interactively).

### Arc 4 — Slice 3: provisioning (blocked on re-auth, then live)

Both the gcloud account token AND ADC needed interactive re-auth (expired during
the long session) — surfaced to the operator, who re-authed (`gcloud auth login`).
Then ran `scripts/patchwatch-runner-deploy.sh`. Real-world friction, each fixed
in-script (→ v1.7.1):
1. `gcloud builds submit` → `PERMISSION_DENIED` (account lacks Cloud Build).
   Pivoted to a LOCAL `docker build --platform linux/amd64 --provenance=false` +
   push (the `--provenance=false` matters — a buildx attestation manifest list
   trips Cloud Run's single-image expectation), then `--skip-build`.
2. `--set-env-vars PATCHWATCH_FAIL_ON_LANE=fast,mitigation` — the comma parsed
   as a second env-var pair; fixed with gcloud's `^@^` alternate-delimiter.
3. SA-creation propagation lag (binding ran before the SA was visible) — the
   idempotent re-run cleared it.
4. The `beta`/`alpha` gcloud components weren't installed (non-interactive
   prompt) — installed them.
5. The monitoring channel-list filter rejected the unquoted email as ambiguous —
   quoted it.

Set `--max-retries 0` (a `--fail-on` exit is deterministic; the 6h schedule is
the retry cadence). Final idempotent re-run exited 0, no errors.

**Verified end-to-end.** A manual execution produced a full JSON report:
`pinned_version 0.31.3` (the SA resolved the private pin + lockfiles),
`scanner_errors: []`, `lane_counts fast=1 routine=7 mitigation=0`, and
`Container called exit(1)` — the live tqdm HIGH fast finding tripping
`--fail-on-lane fast`. Triggering the **scheduler** manually created a fresh
execution (proving the scheduler→job `run.invoker` auth path) that reached
terminal `failedCount=1` — the full chain through to the alert policy.
Least-privilege confirmed: the runner SA has **zero** project-wide roles, only
`secretAccessor` on the one secret + `run.invoker` on the one job.

### Arc 5 — Parallel-session SPEC collision (the wrong turn)

Committing v1.7.1, `git add -A` swept in an ~80-line `SPEC.md` addition (a §19.2
"per-PR preview environments" candidate) that a **parallel session** had written
into the shared checkout — not my work. Traced it (absent in v1.6.0 and my
v1.7.0 commit; present only in the working tree). A `git reset` then compounded
it: I reset to the stale remote-tracking ref `origin/main` (still at 70ba3b0,
because I'd pushed via the explicit SSH URL, which doesn't advance the tracking
ref) and rewound past v1.7.0 too. Nothing was lost (`--mixed` keeps the tree).
Recovered by resetting to the `v1.7.0` tag, re-committing v1.7.1 with **only my
five files** (SPEC.md left untouched, foreign content preserved uncommitted for
its owner), pushing via SSH, and manually syncing the tracking ref. This is the
[[feedback_worktree_for_parallel_git]] lesson realized — I worked in the shared
checkout rather than an isolated worktree; the SPEC collision is exactly what
that rule guards against.

### Arc 6 — Close-out

Verified the cloud resources + least-privilege. Updated
[[project_patchwatch_strategy]] memory (Phase 1 LIVE). Deliberately did NOT edit
the ohm-rfc ROADMAP #43 row — that checkout is parked on another session's
`roadmap/43-patchwatch` branch, and after the SPEC collision the disciplined
call was to leave it untouched and flag the annotation in the handoff.

---

## Cut state (end of session)

| Repo / resource | State |
| --- | --- |
| flotilla `main` | `5cf5ecd` (Merge v1.7.1); tags `v1.7.0`, `v1.7.1` pushed |
| flotilla working tree | ONE uncommitted change: a parallel session's `SPEC.md` §19.2 "preview environments" addition (~80 lines at line 1501) — left for its owner |
| Cloud Run job | `patchwatch-radar` (us-central1), SA `patchwatch-runner@`, image `…/patchwatch/radar:1.7.0`, `--max-retries 0`, env `PATCHWATCH_FAIL_ON_LANE=fast,mitigation` |
| Cloud Scheduler | `patchwatch-radar-6h`, `0 */6 * * *`, ENABLED |
| Runner SA | `patchwatch-runner@wiggleverse-ohm` — ZERO project roles; `secretAccessor` on `ohm-rfc-app-gitea-read-token` + `run.invoker` on the job |
| Monitoring | email channel → ben@wiggleverse.org; alert policy "Patchwatch radar job failure (OHM)" (open incident: the tqdm fast finding) |
| OHM live | untouched (read-only session; no rfc-app deploy) |
| ohm-rfc | untouched; checkout parked on `roadmap/43-patchwatch` (clean) |

| #43 Patchwatch ledger | Status |
| --- | --- |
| Phase 1 — radar read-only + alert | ✅ detection logic (≤0052) + **always-on cloud runner (this session)** |
| Phase 2 — OS layer (`unattended-upgrades` + reboot handling) | ⏸ unblocked, not started |
| Phase 3 — mitigation lane (rfc-app kill-switches) | ⏸ needs rfc-app coordination |
| Phase 5 — tiered auto-initiate | ⛔ depends on Track Δ existing |

---

## §19.2 candidates surfaced

1. **`flotilla-core` extraction** — unchanged from the proposal; the cloud
   runner is the first piece of flotilla that runs off-laptop. The runner image
   + entrypoint + provisioning script are OHM-specific glue today; the generic
   radar/classifier belongs in `flotilla-core` when a second product needs it.
2. **Alert de-duplication / acknowledgement.** The runner pages on every open
   fast/mitigation finding; while a known finding is blocked (tqdm on Track Δ),
   Monitoring's incident grouping mutes the spam, but there's no first-class
   "acknowledge this finding until version X" affordance. Worth it once there
   are several standing findings.

---

## What lands on the operator's plate

1. **The parallel-session `SPEC.md` change** is sitting uncommitted in the
   flotilla working tree (a §19.2 "preview environments" candidate). It's not
   mine — its owning session (or you) should commit or discard it. I left it
   exactly as found.
2. **ohm-rfc ROADMAP #43** wants a "Phase 1 + cloud runner DONE (flotilla
   v1.7.0/v1.7.1)" annotation. I didn't touch ohm-rfc (parked on another
   session's branch). Apply it on whichever branch owns #43.
3. **Recurring alert decision.** The radar will keep an open Monitoring incident
   while the tqdm fast bump is blocked on Track Δ. If the email is unwelcome,
   redeploy the job with `PATCHWATCH_FAIL_ON_LANE=mitigation` (the fast finding
   stays visible in the JSON logs). No action strictly required.
4. **Optional:** re-auth ADC (`gcloud auth application-default login`) if you
   want to run `flotilla audit` from the laptop again — the cloud runner doesn't
   need it (it uses its SA).

---

## Prompt the operator can paste into the next Claude Code session

```
You are picking up after session 0053. Reserve your own session ID via
claim-session-id.sh before any work.

STATE (all pushed):
- flotilla main = 5cf5ecd (v1.7.1). Tags v1.7.0 + v1.7.1 pushed.
- Patchwatch Phase 1 cloud runner is LIVE in wiggleverse-ohm and verified
  end-to-end: Cloud Scheduler `patchwatch-radar-6h` (every 6h) → Cloud Run job
  `patchwatch-radar` runs `flotilla audit ohm-rfc-app --layer py-app --layer
  node-app --layer flotilla --fail-on-lane fast --fail-on-lane mitigation
  --fail-on-scanner-error --json`. Runtime SA `patchwatch-runner@` is
  least-privilege (secretAccessor on ohm-rfc-app-gitea-read-token + run.invoker
  on the job; zero project roles). Failures → email alert + JSON in Cloud
  Logging. v1.7.0 = the gates + image + script; v1.7.1 = provisioning-script
  fixes found live. Reprovision: scripts/patchwatch-runner-deploy.sh (idempotent;
  builds via LOCAL docker — the account lacks Cloud Build perms).
- The runner exits non-zero every cycle on the live tqdm HIGH fast finding
  (blocked on Track Δ); Monitoring groups it into ONE open incident. To mute:
  redeploy the job with PATCHWATCH_FAIL_ON_LANE=mitigation.

PLATE FROM 0053:
- flotilla working tree has ONE uncommitted change that is NOT 0053's: a
  parallel session's SPEC.md §19.2 "per-PR preview environments" addition
  (~line 1501). Leave it for its owner / commit-or-discard deliberately.
- ohm-rfc ROADMAP #43 wants a "Phase 1 + cloud runner DONE (v1.7.0/v1.7.1)"
  annotation; ohm-rfc is parked on branch roadmap/43-patchwatch.

NEXT MOVES (Patchwatch, all independent of the off-limits Phase 5 auto-initiate):
1. Phase 2 — OS layer: unattended-upgrades (security pocket) on the VM + the
   reboot-required the radar flags (linux-image). Touches the live VM (a reboot
   = brief ohm.wiggleverse.org outage — confirm timing with the operator).
2. tqdm fast-lane bump still owed but rides Track Δ (#37-#42); needs a fixed
   rfc-app tag first.
3. Phase 3 — mitigation lane: needs rfc-app kill-switch flags (framework
   coordination).

Run form (osv on PATH + pinned gcloud config; needs ADC re-auth for laptop runs):
  PATH="/opt/homebrew/bin:$PATH" CLOUDSDK_ACTIVE_CONFIG_NAME=wiggleverse \
    .venv/bin/ohm-rfc-app-flotilla audit ohm-rfc-app

LESSON: do hands-on git in an isolated worktree when other sessions may share
the checkout — 0053 hit a parallel-session SPEC.md collision in the shared tree.
```

---

## Session close

Operator confirmed the wrap. Between the first publish (`612b292`) and this
finalize, no repo or cloud changes were made — only the in-chat summary +
handoff were delivered, and this closing note added. Everything in the cut-state
table above holds: flotilla `main` = `5cf5ecd` (v1.7.1), the runner is live and
on its 6h schedule, and the three plate items remain for the next session.
