fix(runtime): complete crewai/deepagents/gemini-cli removal + fail-closed on unresolvable runtime

Addresses core-security REQUEST-CHANGES (review 4269) on PR #1385
(RFC internal#483). The original removal was incomplete and silently
changed behavior:

1. manifest.json workspace_templates still listed crewai/deepagents/
   gemini-cli. handlers.knownRuntimes (the workspace-create admission
   allowlist) is built at boot from manifest.json via runtime_registry.go
   — NOT from provisioner.knownRuntimes — so a create request for a
   "removed" runtime was still admitted. Removed the 3 entries; the
   manifest now resolves to the 6 kept template-backed runtimes
   (claude-code, hermes, openclaw, codex, langgraph, autogen) + injected
   meta-runtimes. langgraph/autogen retained intentionally — not in the
   internal#483 removal set and still in provisioner.knownRuntimes.

2. selectImage silently fell back to DefaultImage (langgraph) for any
   named-but-unresolvable runtime: a user asking for crewai got a
   langgraph container with no signal. selectImage now returns
   (string, error) and rejects a NAMED-but-unresolvable runtime with
   ErrUnresolvableRuntime (naming the offending runtime). Start
   propagates it; the existing markProvisionFailed path already
   broadcasts WorkspaceProvisionFailed + records the message. Implements
   the CTO hardgate directive (feedback_platform_must_hardgate_base_contract
   — fail-closed, no silent degrade). The genuinely-unspecified (empty)
   runtime remains a distinct legitimate path → DefaultImage.

go build ./... and go test ./internal/provisioner/ ./internal/handlers/
./internal/imagewatch/ ./internal/registry/ ./internal/models/ all pass.
selectImage tests updated to assert the new fail-closed contract (new
expected values verified against the security finding, not made-green).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

manifest.json

@@ -30,10 +30,7 @@
     {"name": "openclaw", "repo": "molecule-ai/molecule-ai-workspace-template-openclaw", "ref": "main"},
     {"name": "codex", "repo": "molecule-ai/molecule-ai-workspace-template-codex", "ref": "main"},
     {"name": "langgraph", "repo": "molecule-ai/molecule-ai-workspace-template-langgraph", "ref": "main"},
-    {"name": "crewai", "repo": "molecule-ai/molecule-ai-workspace-template-crewai", "ref": "main"},
-    {"name": "autogen", "repo": "molecule-ai/molecule-ai-workspace-template-autogen", "ref": "main"},
-    {"name": "deepagents", "repo": "molecule-ai/molecule-ai-workspace-template-deepagents", "ref": "main"},
-    {"name": "gemini-cli", "repo": "molecule-ai/molecule-ai-workspace-template-gemini-cli", "ref": "main"}
+    {"name": "autogen", "repo": "molecule-ai/molecule-ai-workspace-template-autogen", "ref": "main"}
   ],
   "org_templates": [
     {"name": "molecule-dev", "repo": "molecule-ai/molecule-ai-org-template-molecule-dev", "ref": "main"},

workspace-server/internal/handlers/admin_workspace_images.go

@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ func NewWorkspaceImageService(docker *dockerclient.Client) *WorkspaceImageServic
 // AllRuntimes is the canonical list mirroring docs/workspace-runtime-package.md.
 // Update both when a new template is added.
 var AllRuntimes = []string{
-	"claude-code", "langgraph", "crewai", "autogen",
-	"deepagents", "hermes", "gemini-cli", "openclaw",
+	"claude-code", "langgraph", "autogen",
+	"hermes", "openclaw",
 }
 
 // RefreshResult is the per-call outcome surfaced to HTTP callers AND logged

workspace-server/internal/models/runtime_defaults.go

@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ package models
 //   - claude-code: "sonnet" — Anthropic's CLI accepts the short
 //     name and resolves it via the operator's anthropic-oauth or
 //     ANTHROPIC_API_KEY chain.
-//   - everything else (hermes, langgraph, crewai, autogen, deepagents,
-//     codex, openclaw, gemini-cli, external, ""): a fully-qualified
+//   - everything else (hermes, langgraph, autogen, codex, openclaw,
+//     external, ""): a fully-qualified
 //     vendor:model slug that the universal MODEL_PROVIDER chain in
 //     molecule-core PR #247 can route via per-vendor required_env.
 //

workspace-server/internal/models/runtime_defaults_test.go

@@ -21,12 +21,9 @@ func TestDefaultModel(t *testing.T) {
 		// as a generic "unknown" failure.
 		{"hermes", "anthropic:claude-opus-4-7"},
 		{"langgraph", "anthropic:claude-opus-4-7"},
-		{"crewai", "anthropic:claude-opus-4-7"},
 		{"autogen", "anthropic:claude-opus-4-7"},
-		{"deepagents", "anthropic:claude-opus-4-7"},
 		{"codex", "anthropic:claude-opus-4-7"},
 		{"openclaw", "anthropic:claude-opus-4-7"},
-		{"gemini-cli", "anthropic:claude-opus-4-7"},
 		{"external", "anthropic:claude-opus-4-7"},
 
 		// Unknown / empty — fall through to universal default rather

workspace-server/internal/provisioner/localbuild_test.go

@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ func TestEnsureLocalImage_RepoNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 	opts.HTTPClient = srv.Client()
 	opts.remoteHeadSha = nil // exercise real HTTP path
 
-	_, err := ensureLocalImageWithOpts(context.Background(), "crewai", opts)
+	_, err := ensureLocalImageWithOpts(context.Background(), "hermes", opts)
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatalf("expected error, got nil")
 	}

workspace-server/internal/provisioner/provisioner.go

@@ -35,6 +35,19 @@ import (
 // drift-risk #6.
 var ErrNoBackend = errors.New("provisioner: no backend configured (zero-valued receiver)")
 
+// ErrUnresolvableRuntime is returned by selectImage when a workspace
+// names a runtime that has no resolvable image (not in RuntimeImages and
+// no operator-pinned cfg.Image). RFC internal#483 + security review 4269:
+// previously such a request silently fell through to DefaultImage
+// (langgraph) — a user asking for crewai would get a langgraph container
+// with no signal. The CTO standing directive
+// (feedback_platform_must_hardgate_base_contract) is fail-closed: a
+// named-but-unresolvable runtime must reject with a structured,
+// runtime-naming error so the existing provision-failed notify/log path
+// surfaces it, NOT silently degrade. The genuinely-unspecified (empty)
+// runtime is still a distinct, legitimate path that keeps DefaultImage.
+var ErrUnresolvableRuntime = errors.New("provisioner: requested runtime has no resolvable image")
+
 // RuntimeImages maps runtime names to their Docker image refs.
 // Each standalone template repo publishes its image via the reusable
 // publish-template-image workflow in molecule-ci on every main merge.
@@ -104,20 +117,33 @@ type WorkspaceConfig struct {
 // selectImage resolves the final Docker image ref for a workspace. The handler
 // layer is the source of truth — if it set cfg.Image (the digest-pinned form
 // from runtime_image_pins, #2272), honor that. Otherwise fall back to the
-// runtime→tag lookup in RuntimeImages (legacy `:latest` behavior). When the
-// runtime isn't recognized either, fall back to DefaultImage so Start() still
-// has something to hand Docker — surfacing a "No such image" later is more
-// actionable than a silent "" panic in ContainerCreate.
-func selectImage(cfg WorkspaceConfig) string {
+// runtime→tag lookup in RuntimeImages (legacy `:latest` behavior).
+//
+// Fail-closed contract (RFC internal#483 / security review 4269 /
+// feedback_platform_must_hardgate_base_contract): if the workspace NAMES a
+// runtime that resolves to no image (not in RuntimeImages, no pinned
+// cfg.Image), reject with ErrUnresolvableRuntime instead of silently
+// substituting DefaultImage. Pre-fix, removing crewai/deepagents/gemini-cli
+// from the catalog left those create requests silently provisioning a
+// langgraph container — the user asked for crewai and got langgraph with no
+// signal. The error propagates through Start → markProvisionFailed, which
+// already broadcasts WorkspaceProvisionFailed and records the message.
+//
+// The genuinely-unspecified runtime (empty cfg.Runtime, e.g. an org template
+// that doesn't pin one) is an intended distinct path and still resolves to
+// DefaultImage — only a NAMED-but-unresolvable runtime is rejected.
+func selectImage(cfg WorkspaceConfig) (string, error) {
 	if cfg.Image != "" {
-		return cfg.Image
+		return cfg.Image, nil
 	}
 	if cfg.Runtime != "" {
 		if img, ok := RuntimeImages[cfg.Runtime]; ok {
-			return img
+			return img, nil
 		}
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("%w: runtime %q (known runtimes: %v)",
+			ErrUnresolvableRuntime, cfg.Runtime, knownRuntimes)
 	}
-	return DefaultImage
+	return DefaultImage, nil
 }
 
 // Workspace-access constants for #65. Matches the CHECK constraint on
@@ -336,7 +362,15 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Start(ctx context.Context, cfg WorkspaceConfig) (string, e
 
 	env := buildContainerEnv(cfg)
 
-	image := selectImage(cfg)
+	image, imgErr := selectImage(cfg)
+	if imgErr != nil {
+		// Fail-closed: a named-but-unresolvable runtime must not silently
+		// become DefaultImage (RFC internal#483 / review 4269). The caller's
+		// error path (markProvisionFailed) broadcasts the failure + records
+		// the message so the canvas surfaces it.
+		log.Printf("Provisioner: refusing to start %s: %v", cfg.WorkspaceID, imgErr)
+		return "", imgErr
+	}
 
 	// Local-build mode (issue #63 / Task #194): when MOLECULE_IMAGE_REGISTRY
 	// is unset, the OSS contributor path skips the registry pull entirely

workspace-server/internal/provisioner/provisioner_test.go

@@ -513,7 +513,10 @@ func TestWorkspaceConfig_ResetClaudeSessionFieldPresent(t *testing.T) {
 // we lose the "one bad publish doesn't break every workspace" guarantee.
 func TestSelectImage_PrefersExplicitImage(t *testing.T) {
 	pinned := "ghcr.io/molecule-ai/workspace-template-claude-code@sha256:3d6761a97ed07d7d33cfc19a8fbab81175d9d9179618d493dbc00c5f7ef076a3"
-	got := selectImage(WorkspaceConfig{Runtime: "claude-code", Image: pinned})
+	got, err := selectImage(WorkspaceConfig{Runtime: "claude-code", Image: pinned})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("selectImage with cfg.Image=pinned: unexpected error %v", err)
+	}
 	if got != pinned {
 		t.Errorf("selectImage with cfg.Image=pinned: got %q, want %q", got, pinned)
 	}
@@ -523,28 +526,46 @@ func TestSelectImage_PrefersExplicitImage(t *testing.T) {
 // pin lookup deliberately bypassed via WORKSPACE_IMAGE_LOCAL_OVERRIDE).
 // selectImage must use the legacy runtime→:latest map.
 func TestSelectImage_FallsBackToRuntimeMap(t *testing.T) {
-	got := selectImage(WorkspaceConfig{Runtime: "claude-code", Image: ""})
+	got, err := selectImage(WorkspaceConfig{Runtime: "claude-code", Image: ""})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("selectImage with empty Image: unexpected error %v", err)
+	}
 	want := RuntimeImages["claude-code"]
 	if got != want {
 		t.Errorf("selectImage with empty Image: got %q, want %q", got, want)
 	}
 }
 
-// TestSelectImage_UnknownRuntimeFallsBackToDefault preserves today's
-// behavior — an unrecognized runtime resolves to DefaultImage rather than
-// "" so ContainerCreate gets a usable arg and surfaces a meaningful
-// "No such image" error if the default itself is missing.
-func TestSelectImage_UnknownRuntimeFallsBackToDefault(t *testing.T) {
-	got := selectImage(WorkspaceConfig{Runtime: "no-such-runtime"})
-	if got != DefaultImage {
-		t.Errorf("selectImage with unknown runtime: got %q, want DefaultImage %q", got, DefaultImage)
+// TestSelectImage_NamedUnresolvableRuntimeRejects pins the fail-closed
+// contract (RFC internal#483 / security review 4269 /
+// feedback_platform_must_hardgate_base_contract): a NAMED runtime with no
+// resolvable image must reject with ErrUnresolvableRuntime, NOT silently
+// substitute DefaultImage. Pre-fix this returned langgraph — a user asking
+// for a removed runtime (crewai/deepagents/gemini-cli) silently got a
+// langgraph container. "crewai" is the concrete regression from the
+// security finding.
+func TestSelectImage_NamedUnresolvableRuntimeRejects(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, rt := range []string{"no-such-runtime", "crewai", "deepagents", "gemini-cli"} {
+		got, err := selectImage(WorkspaceConfig{Runtime: rt})
+		if !errors.Is(err, ErrUnresolvableRuntime) {
+			t.Errorf("selectImage(%q): got err %v, want ErrUnresolvableRuntime", rt, err)
+		}
+		if got != "" {
+			t.Errorf("selectImage(%q): got image %q, want \"\" on reject", rt, got)
+		}
+		if err != nil && !strings.Contains(err.Error(), rt) {
+			t.Errorf("selectImage(%q): error must name the offending runtime, got %v", rt, err)
+		}
 	}
 }
 
 // TestSelectImage_EmptyRuntimeFallsBackToDefault: same invariant for the
 // no-runtime-supplied path (legacy callers / older handler code).
 func TestSelectImage_EmptyRuntimeFallsBackToDefault(t *testing.T) {
-	got := selectImage(WorkspaceConfig{})
+	got, err := selectImage(WorkspaceConfig{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("selectImage with zero cfg: unexpected error %v (empty runtime is a legitimate DefaultImage path)", err)
+	}
 	if got != DefaultImage {
 		t.Errorf("selectImage with zero cfg: got %q, want DefaultImage %q", got, DefaultImage)
 	}
@@ -808,7 +829,7 @@ func TestIsImageNotFoundErr(t *testing.T) {
 		{"nil", nil, false},
 		{"moby no such image", fmtErr(`Error response from daemon: No such image: workspace-template:openclaw`), true},
 		{"no such image lowercase", fmtErr(`error: no such image: foo:bar`), true},
-		{"image not found", fmtErr(`Error: image "workspace-template:crewai" not found`), true},
+		{"image not found", fmtErr(`Error: image "workspace-template:hermes" not found`), true},
 		{"generic not found without image", fmtErr(`container not found`), false},
 		{"unrelated error", fmtErr(`connection refused`), false},
 		{"permission denied", fmtErr(`permission denied`), false},

workspace-server/internal/provisioner/registry.go

@@ -21,9 +21,6 @@ var knownRuntimes = []string{
 	"autogen",
 	"claude-code",
 	"codex",
-	"crewai",
-	"deepagents",
-	"gemini-cli",
 	"hermes",
 	"langgraph",
 	"openclaw",

workspace-server/internal/provisioner/registry_test.go

@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ func TestRuntimeImage_AllKnownRuntimes(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 	// Pin the count so adding a runtime requires explicit test acknowledgement.
-	if len(knownRuntimes) != 9 {
-		t.Errorf("knownRuntimes length = %d, want 9 (autogen, claude-code, codex, crewai, deepagents, gemini-cli, hermes, langgraph, openclaw)", len(knownRuntimes))
+	if len(knownRuntimes) != 6 {
+		t.Errorf("knownRuntimes length = %d, want 6 (autogen, claude-code, codex, hermes, langgraph, openclaw)", len(knownRuntimes))
 	}
 }