Add --local-only flag and strictly local security assessment

This commit introduces a new `--local-only` flag for the `gateway` command that hardens the configuration for strictly local usage by:
- Disabling update checks on start
- Disabling diagnostics
- Clearing model fallbacks (to prevent accidental cloud usage)
- Denying external tools (web_search, web_fetch, browser)
- Enabling Docker sandboxing for non-main sessions

It also adds a detailed `SECURITY_ASSESSMENT_LOCAL.md` report and a unit test for the new flag.

Co-authored-by: samibs <1743891+samibs@users.noreply.github.com>

SECURITY_ASSESSMENT_LOCAL.md

@@ -63,9 +63,25 @@ When using external channels, the bot receives untrusted input.
 
 ---
 
+## New: "Strictly Local" Startup Option
+
+Moltbot now includes a `--local-only` flag for the `gateway` command. This flag automatically applies all the hardening steps described in this report at startup, without requiring you to manually edit your configuration file.
+
+To use it, start the gateway with:
+```bash
+moltbot gateway --local-only
+```
+
+This will:
+- Disable update checks on start.
+- Disable diagnostics.
+- Clear all model fallbacks.
+- Deny web tools, browser, and skills-install.
+- Enable Docker sandboxing for non-main sessions.
+
 ## Recommended Configuration for "Strictly Local" Setup
 
-Add/update these keys in your `~/.clawdbot/moltbot.json`:
+If you prefer to make these settings permanent in your configuration, add/update these keys in your `~/.clawdbot/moltbot.json`:
 
 ```json5
 {

src/cli/gateway-cli/local-only.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+import { Command } from "commander";
+import { describe, expect, it, vi, beforeEach } from "vitest";
+
+const setConfigOverride = vi.fn();
+const loadConfig = vi.fn(() => ({ gateway: { mode: "local" } }));
+const startGatewayServer = vi.fn(async () => ({
+  close: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+}));
+
+const defaultRuntime = {
+  log: vi.fn(),
+  error: vi.fn(),
+  exit: (code: number) => {
+    throw new Error(`__exit__:${code}`);
+  },
+};
+
+vi.mock("../../config/config.js", () => ({
+  CONFIG_PATH: "/tmp/moltbot.json",
+  STATE_DIR: "/tmp/.clawdbot",
+  loadConfig: () => loadConfig(),
+  readConfigFileSnapshot: async () => ({ exists: true, valid: true, config: loadConfig() }),
+  resolveGatewayPort: () => 18789,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../../config/runtime-overrides.js", () => ({
+  setConfigOverride: (path: string, value: unknown) => setConfigOverride(path, value),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../../gateway/server.js", () => ({
+  startGatewayServer: (port: number, opts?: unknown) => startGatewayServer(port, opts),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("./run-loop.js", () => ({
+  runGatewayLoop: async (params: { start: () => Promise<unknown> }) => {
+    await params.start();
+  },
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../../runtime.js", () => ({
+  defaultRuntime,
+}));
+
+// Mock other dependencies to avoid side effects
+vi.mock("../../globals.js", () => ({
+  setVerbose: vi.fn(),
+}));
+vi.mock("../../gateway/ws-logging.js", () => ({
+  setGatewayWsLogStyle: vi.fn(),
+}));
+vi.mock("../../logging/console.js", () => ({
+  setConsoleTimestampPrefix: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+describe("gateway-cli --local-only", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it("applies hardening overrides when --local-only is passed", async () => {
+    const { registerGatewayCli } = await import("../gateway-cli.js");
+    const program = new Command();
+    program.exitOverride();
+    registerGatewayCli(program);
+
+    // We expect it to try to start the server and fail because we don't mock the loop
+    // or just check if setConfigOverride was called.
+    try {
+      await program.parseAsync(["gateway", "--local-only", "--token", "test-token"], {
+        from: "user",
+      });
+    } catch (err) {
+      // ignore exit
+    }
+
+    expect(setConfigOverride).toHaveBeenCalledWith("update.checkOnStart", false);
+    expect(setConfigOverride).toHaveBeenCalledWith("diagnostics.enabled", false);
+    expect(setConfigOverride).toHaveBeenCalledWith("agents.defaults.model.fallbacks", []);
+    expect(setConfigOverride).toHaveBeenCalledWith("tools.deny", ["group:web", "browser", "skills-install"]);
+    expect(setConfigOverride).toHaveBeenCalledWith("agents.defaults.sandbox.mode", "non-main");
+  });
+
+  it("does not apply hardening overrides by default", async () => {
+    const { registerGatewayCli } = await import("../gateway-cli.js");
+    const program = new Command();
+    program.exitOverride();
+    registerGatewayCli(program);
+
+    try {
+      await program.parseAsync(["gateway", "--token", "test-token"], {
+        from: "user",
+      });
+    } catch (err) {
+      // ignore exit
+    }
+
+    expect(setConfigOverride).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});

src/cli/gateway-cli/run.ts

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   readConfigFileSnapshot,
   resolveGatewayPort,
 } from "../../config/config.js";
+import { setConfigOverride } from "../../config/runtime-overrides.js";
 import { resolveGatewayAuth } from "../../gateway/auth.js";
 import { startGatewayServer } from "../../gateway/server.js";
 import type { GatewayWsLogStyle } from "../../gateway/ws-logging.js";
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ type GatewayRunOpts = {
   rawStreamPath?: unknown;
   dev?: boolean;
   reset?: boolean;
+  localOnly?: boolean;
 };
 
 const gatewayLog = createSubsystemLogger("gateway");
@@ -93,6 +95,15 @@ async function runGatewayCommand(opts: GatewayRunOpts) {
     await ensureDevGatewayConfig({ reset: Boolean(opts.reset) });
   }
 
+  if (opts.localOnly) {
+    gatewayLog.info("local-only: hardening configuration for strictly local usage");
+    setConfigOverride("update.checkOnStart", false);
+    setConfigOverride("diagnostics.enabled", false);
+    setConfigOverride("agents.defaults.model.fallbacks", []);
+    setConfigOverride("tools.deny", ["group:web", "browser", "skills-install"]);
+    setConfigOverride("agents.defaults.sandbox.mode", "non-main");
+  }
+
   const cfg = loadConfig();
   const portOverride = parsePort(opts.port);
   if (opts.port !== undefined && portOverride === null) {
@@ -348,6 +359,11 @@ export function addGatewayRunCommand(cmd: Command): Command {
     .option("--compact", 'Alias for "--ws-log compact"', false)
     .option("--raw-stream", "Log raw model stream events to jsonl", false)
     .option("--raw-stream-path <path>", "Raw stream jsonl path")
+    .option(
+      "--local-only",
+      "Hardens configuration for strictly local usage (disables updates, diagnostics, and external tools)",
+      false,
+    )
     .action(async (opts) => {
       await runGatewayCommand(opts);
     });