False-positive safety check blocks authorized defensive work

Start by reproducing the false-positive safety check with Codex CLI 0.145.0 on Linux, using the scenario described in the issue. Trace the safety-check entry point and its tests once the reproduction identifies them; done means authorized defensive work is allowed without weakening checks for genuinely unsafe requests.

What version of Codex CLI is running?

Codex CLI 0.145.0

What subscription do you have?

Plus

Which model were you using?

gpt-5.6-sol

What platform is your computer?

Linux 6.14.0-37-generic x86_64 x86_64

What terminal emulator and version are you using (if applicable)?

No response

Codex doctor report

{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "generatedAt": "1785492854s since unix epoch",
  "overallStatus": "warning",
  "codexVersion": "0.145.0",
  "checks": {
    "app_server.status": {
      "id": "app_server.status",
      "category": "app-server",
      "status": "warning",
      "summary": "background server socket is stale or unreachable",
      "details": {
        "app-server version": "unavailable (failed to connect to control socket)",
        "control socket": "/home/<USER>/.codex/app-server-control/app-server-control.sock",
        "daemon state dir": "/home/<USER>/.codex/app-server-daemon",
        "mode": "persistent",
        "pid file": "/home/<USER>/.codex/app-server-daemon/app-server.pid (missing)",
        "settings": "/home/<USER>/.codex/app-server-daemon/settings.json (file)",
        "status": "stale or unreachable",
        "update-loop pid file": "/home/<USER>/.codex/app-server-daemon/app-server-updater.pid (file)"
      },
      "remediation": "Run codex app-server daemon version for more details.",
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "auth.credentials": {
      "id": "auth.credentials",
      "category": "auth",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "auth is configured",
      "details": {
        "auth file": "/home/<USER>/.codex/auth.json",
        "auth storage mode": "File",
        "stored API key": "false",
        "stored ChatGPT tokens": "true",
        "stored agent identity": "false",
        "stored auth mode": "chatgpt"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "config.load": {
      "id": "config.load",
      "category": "config",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "config loaded",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME": "/home/<USER>/.codex",
        "config.toml": "/home/<USER>/.codex/config.toml",
        "config.toml parse": "ok",
        "cwd": "/workspace/<PRIVATE_REPO>",
        "enabled feature flags": "shell_tool, unified_exec, shell_snapshot, code_mode_host, terminal_resize_reflow, sqlite, hooks, enable_request_compression, multi_agent, apps, tool_search_always_defer_mcp_tools, tool_suggest, plugins, in_app_browser, browser_use, browser_use_full_cdp_access, browser_use_external, computer_use, remote_plugin, plugin_sharing, image_generation, resize_all_images, skill_mcp_dependency_install, skill_search, mentions_v2, steer, guardian_approval, goals, collaboration_modes, tool_call_mcp_elicitation, auth_elicitation, personality, fast_mode, tui_app_server, prevent_idle_sleep, remote_compaction_v2, workspace_dependencies",
        "feature flag overrides": "prevent_idle_sleep=true",
        "feature flags enabled": "37",
        "log dir": "/home/<USER>/.codex/log",
        "mcp servers": "0",
        "model": "gpt-5.6-sol",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "sqlite home": "/home/<USER>/.codex"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 1
    },
    "git.environment": {
      "id": "git.environment",
      "category": "git",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "git version 2.43.0",
      "details": {
        ".git entry": "directory",
        "PATH git #1": "/usr/bin/git",
        "PATH git #2": "/bin/git",
        "PATH git entries": "2",
        "git branch": "security/blockchain-deposit-atomic-claim",
        "git build options": "git version 2.43.0; cpu: x86_64; no commit associated with this build; sizeof-long: 8; sizeof-size_t: 8; shell-path: /bin/sh",
        "git exec path": "/usr/lib/git-core",
        "git version": "git version 2.43.0",
        "repo detected": "true",
        "repo root": "/workspace/<PRIVATE_REPO>",
        "selected git": "/usr/bin/git"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 77
    },
    "installation": {
      "id": "installation",
      "category": "install",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "installation looks consistent",
      "details": {
        "PATH codex #1": "/home/<USER>/.local/bin/codex",
        "PATH codex #2": "/home/<USER>/.local/bin/codex",
        "PATH codex #3": "/home/<USER>/.local/bin/codex",
        "PATH codex #4": "/usr/local/bin/codex",
        "PATH codex entries": "4",
        "current executable": "/home/<USER>/.codex/packages/standalone/releases/0.145.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin/codex",
        "install context": "standalone (unix, package /home/<USER>/.codex/packages/standalone/releases/0.145.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl, bin /home/<USER>/.codex/packages/standalone/releases/0.145.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin, resources /home/<USER>/.codex/packages/standalone/releases/0.145.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-resources, path /home/<USER>/.codex/packages/standalone/releases/0.145.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-path)",
        "managed by bun": "false",
        "managed by npm": "false",
        "managed by pnpm": "false",
        "managed package root": "not set"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 1
    },
    "mcp.config": {
      "id": "mcp.config",
      "category": "mcp",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "no MCP servers configured",
      "details": {},
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "network.env": {
      "id": "network.env",
      "category": "network",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "network-related environment looks readable",
      "details": {
        "proxy env vars": "none"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "network.provider_reachability": {
      "id": "network.provider_reachability",
      "category": "reachability",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "active provider endpoints are reachable over HTTP",
      "details": {
        "ChatGPT base URL": "https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/ reachable (HTTP 403)",
        "reachability mode": "ChatGPT auth"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 415
    },
    "network.websocket_reachability": {
      "id": "network.websocket_reachability",
      "category": "websocket",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "Responses WebSocket handshake succeeded",
      "details": {
        "DNS": "2 IPv4, 2 IPv6, first IPv4",
        "auth mode": "chatgpt",
        "connect timeout": "15000 ms",
        "endpoint": "wss://chatgpt.com/backend-api/<redacted>",
        "handshake result": "HTTP 101 Switching Protocols",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "models etag present": "true",
        "provider name": "OpenAI",
        "proxy env vars": "none",
        "reasoning header": "false",
        "server model present": "false",
        "supports websockets": "true",
        "wire API": "responses"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 1169
    },
    "runtime.provenance": {
      "id": "runtime.provenance",
      "category": "runtime",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "running standalone on linux-x86_64",
      "details": {
        "commit": "unknown",
        "current executable": "/home/<USER>/.codex/packages/standalone/releases/0.145.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin/codex",
        "install method": "standalone (unix, package /home/<USER>/.codex/packages/standalone/releases/0.145.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl, bin /home/<USER>/.codex/packages/standalone/releases/0.145.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/bin, resources /home/<USER>/.codex/packages/standalone/releases/0.145.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-resources, path /home/<USER>/.codex/packages/standalone/releases/0.145.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-path)",
        "platform": "linux-x86_64",
        "version": "0.145.0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "runtime.search": {
      "id": "runtime.search",
      "category": "search",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "search is OK (bundled)",
      "details": {
        "search command": "/home/<USER>/.codex/packages/standalone/releases/0.145.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl/codex-path/rg",
        "search command readiness": "file exists",
        "search provider": "bundled"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "sandbox.helpers": {
      "id": "sandbox.helpers",
      "category": "sandbox",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "sandbox configuration is readable",
      "details": {
        "approval policy": "OnRequest",
        "codex-linux-sandbox helper": "/home/<USER>/.codex/tmp/arg0/codex-arg0ADceLB/codex-linux-sandbox",
        "execve wrapper helper": "/home/<USER>/.codex/tmp/arg0/codex-arg0ADceLB/codex-execve-wrapper",
        "filesystem sandbox": "restricted",
        "network sandbox": "restricted"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "state.paths": {
      "id": "state.paths",
      "category": "state",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "state paths and databases are inspectable",
      "details": {
        "CODEX_HOME": "/home/<USER>/.codex (dir)",
        "active rollout files": "204 files, 169595567 total bytes, 831350 average bytes",
        "archived rollout files": "0 files, 0 total bytes, 0 average bytes",
        "goals DB": "/home/<USER>/.codex/goals_1.sqlite (file)",
        "goals DB integrity": "ok",
        "log DB": "/home/<USER>/.codex/logs_2.sqlite (file)",
        "log DB integrity": "ok",
        "log dir": "/home/<USER>/.codex/log (dir)",
        "memories DB": "/home/<USER>/.codex/memories_1.sqlite (file)",
        "memories DB integrity": "ok",
        "sqlite home": "/home/<USER>/.codex (dir)",
        "standalone release cache": "5 entries in /home/<USER>/.codex/packages/standalone/releases",
        "state DB": "/home/<USER>/.codex/state_5.sqlite (file)",
        "state DB integrity": "ok",
        "thread history DB": "/home/<USER>/.codex/thread_history_1.sqlite (missing)",
        "thread history DB integrity": "skipped (missing)"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 470
    },
    "state.rollout_db_parity": {
      "id": "state.rollout_db_parity",
      "category": "threads",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "rollout files and state DB thread inventory agree",
      "details": {
        "default model provider": "openai",
        "rollout DB active files": "204",
        "rollout DB active rows": "204",
        "rollout DB archive mismatches": "0",
        "rollout DB archived files": "0",
        "rollout DB archived rows": "0",
        "rollout DB duplicate DB paths": "0",
        "rollout DB duplicate rollout thread ids": "0",
        "rollout DB malformed file names": "0",
        "rollout DB missing active rows": "0",
        "rollout DB missing archived rows": "0",
        "rollout DB model providers": "openai=204",
        "rollout DB rows": "204",
        "rollout DB scan cap reached": "false",
        "rollout DB scan errors": "0",
        "rollout DB sources": "cli=95, exec=52, subagent:thread_spawn=33, vscode=24",
        "rollout DB stale rows": "0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 243
    },
    "system.environment": {
      "id": "system.environment",
      "category": "system",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "OS language en-US",
      "details": {
        "EDITOR": "not set",
        "LANG": "en_US.UTF-8",
        "VISUAL": "not set",
        "os": "Linux Mint 22.3.0 (zena) [64-bit]",
        "os language": "en-US",
        "os type": "Linux Mint",
        "os version": "22.3.0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 21
    },
    "terminal.env": {
      "id": "terminal.env",
      "category": "terminal",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal metadata was detected",
      "details": {
        "COLORTERM": "truecolor",
        "DISPLAY": "present",
        "color output": "disabled (stdout is not a terminal)",
        "effective locale": "en_US.UTF-8",
        "stderr is terminal": "true",
        "stdin is terminal": "true",
        "stdout is terminal": "false",
        "terminal": "GNOME Terminal",
        "terminal size": "238x59"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "terminal.title": {
      "id": "terminal.title",
      "category": "title",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal title default",
      "details": {
        "terminal title activity": "true",
        "terminal title items": "activity, project-name",
        "terminal title project source": "git repo root",
        "terminal title project value": "<PRIVATE_REPO>",
        "terminal title source": "default"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "updates.status": {
      "id": "updates.status",
      "category": "updates",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "update configuration is locally consistent",
      "details": {
        "cached latest version": "0.146.0",
        "check for update on startup": "true",
        "last checked at": "2026-07-30T11:27:52.339861546Z",
        "latest version": "0.146.0",
        "latest version status": "newer version is available",
        "update action": "standalone installer",
        "version cache": "/home/<USER>/.codex/version.json"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 1284
    }
  }
}

What issue are you seeing?

Codex CLI blocked an authorized defensive Secure SDLC task on my own private
repository with “This content can’t be shown.”

The block occurred during read-only repository inspection, before any files
were modified. The task was limited to correcting a financial data-integrity
defect and creating deterministic local regression tests.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Uploaded thread: 019fb774-845c-7c62-af4d-678d38bf84a2

What is the expected behavior?

Codex should allow authorized defensive repository inspection, regression
testing, and remediation, or provide an actionable narrower restriction instead
of blocking the entire task before any changes are made.

Additional information

• The repository is private and owned/administered by me.
• The worktree remained clean after the block.
• No production database, external API, customer data, credentials, or real
  transaction identifiers were accessed.
• The diagnostic report was redacted before this public submission.
• codex doctor also reported app_server.status as “stale or unreachable”.
  This may be unrelated, but it is retained in the redacted diagnostic report.