fix(updater): probe swap path before enabling self-updates

The 2.0.0 update helper renames staged files from os.TempDir() onto the
running executable's directory. On the common Arch/Fedora layout where
/tmp is tmpfs and $HOME is persistent, that rename crosses filesystems
and fails with EXDEV ("invalid cross-device link"). The helper's
recovery path then deletes the working binary while failing to restore
it: twenty observed attempts, an orphaned .bak, and no running app.

Guard against this at startup instead of mid-swap:

- swapPathProven() exercises the exact move the helper will perform
  (os.Rename from os.TempDir() into the executable's directory) with a
  throwaway probe file, then cleans up after itself.
- maybeEnableUpdater() skips the updater entirely when the probe fails
  or the build version is empty, logging the reason. A loud skip beats
  a destructive attempt that can strand the user with no app.
- renameProbeOK() is the testable core, taking explicit tmp/target dirs.
- updater_probe_test.go covers same-filesystem success with no leftover
  files, and fail-closed behavior for missing tmp dir, missing target
  dir, and unwritable target dir.
- V3_MIGRATION.md documents the probe and the incident that motivated
  it.
This commit is contained in:
John O'Keefe
2026-09-22 13:02:00 -04:00
parent 2ab5a080a9
commit 4f36457563
3 changed files with 115 additions and 1 deletions
+6 -1
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@@ -49,7 +49,12 @@ headless; the builtin window opens only when an update is found.
Only the binary self-swaps; icons/`.desktop` still come from the tarball's Only the binary self-swaps; icons/`.desktop` still come from the tarball's
`install_linux.sh`. Signing: public half `updater.pub` is embedded; the `install_linux.sh`. Signing: public half `updater.pub` is embedded; the
private key lives in the password manager + the `UPDATER_SIGNING_KEY` CI private key lives in the password manager + the `UPDATER_SIGNING_KEY` CI
secret, never in the repo (see `.gitignore`). secret, never in the repo (see `.gitignore`). Startup also guards the swap
itself: it proves `os.TempDir()` can be renamed into the executable directory
before offering an update, because the 2.0.0 helper showed twenty EXDEV
`invalid cross-device link` attempts on tmpfs `/tmp` versus persistent `$HOME`,
then orphaned `.bak` with nothing running. A failed probe disables updates
with a log line instead of risking the installed binary.
## Future plans on v3 ## Future plans on v3
+52
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@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ package main
import ( import (
"context" "context"
_ "embed" _ "embed"
"fmt"
"log" "log"
"os" "os"
"path/filepath"
"github.com/wailsapp/wails/v3/pkg/application" "github.com/wailsapp/wails/v3/pkg/application"
"github.com/wailsapp/wails/v3/pkg/updater" "github.com/wailsapp/wails/v3/pkg/updater"
@@ -15,6 +17,48 @@ import (
//go:embed updater.pub //go:embed updater.pub
var updaterPublicKey []byte var updaterPublicKey []byte
// swapPathProven verifies the exact move the update helper will perform:
// a rename from the framework staging area (os.TempDir, where it creates
// wails-update-*) onto the running executable's directory. A bare Rename
// fails across filesystems (EXDEV: tmpfs /tmp vs persistent $HOME is the
// Arch/Fedora default), and the helper's recovery path then deletes the
// working binary while failing to restore it — stranding the user with no
// app. If this probe fails we skip updates entirely: a loud skip beats a
// destructive attempt. Observed in the wild on 2.0.0 (helper log: twenty
// "invalid cross-device link" attempts, orphaned .bak, nothing running).
func swapPathProven() error {
exe, err := os.Executable()
if err != nil {
return fmt.Errorf("cannot locate executable: %w", err)
}
return renameProbeOK(os.TempDir(), filepath.Dir(exe))
}
// renameProbeOK proves a file can be renamed from tmpDir into targetDir and
// cleans up after itself. It exercises the same call (os.Rename) across the
// same two directories the helper will use, so any EXDEV or permission
// failure surfaces here, harmlessly, instead of mid-swap.
func renameProbeOK(tmpDir, targetDir string) error {
tmp, err := os.CreateTemp(tmpDir, "anitrack-update-probe-*")
if err != nil {
return fmt.Errorf("cannot stage update files: %w", err)
}
tmpName := tmp.Name()
if err := tmp.Close(); err != nil {
os.Remove(tmpName)
return fmt.Errorf("cannot stage update files: %w", err)
}
probe := filepath.Join(targetDir, ".anitrack-update-probe")
if err := os.Rename(tmpName, probe); err != nil {
os.Remove(tmpName)
return fmt.Errorf("cannot move update into %s: %w", targetDir, err)
}
if err := os.Remove(probe); err != nil {
return fmt.Errorf("cannot clean up probe in %s: %w", targetDir, err)
}
return nil
}
// maybeEnableUpdater wires self-updates: desktop production builds only. // maybeEnableUpdater wires self-updates: desktop production builds only.
// Mobile stays on Obtainium; dev builds never phone home. The startup check // Mobile stays on Obtainium; dev builds never phone home. The startup check
// is headless — the builtin window opens only when an update is found, via a // is headless — the builtin window opens only when an update is found, via a
@@ -26,6 +70,14 @@ func maybeEnableUpdater(app *application.App) {
if !application.System.IsDesktop() { if !application.System.IsDesktop() {
return return
} }
if appVersion() == "" {
log.Println("updater: disabled: empty version")
return
}
if err := swapPathProven(); err != nil {
log.Printf("updater: disabled: %s", err)
return
}
gh, err := giteaprovider.New(giteaprovider.Config{ gh, err := giteaprovider.New(giteaprovider.Config{
BaseURL: "https://git.linuxhg.com", BaseURL: "https://git.linuxhg.com",
Owner: "john-okeefe", Owner: "john-okeefe",
+57
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@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
package main
import (
"os"
"path/filepath"
"testing"
)
func TestRenameProbeOKSameFilesystem(t *testing.T) {
tmpDir := t.TempDir()
targetDir := t.TempDir()
if err := renameProbeOK(tmpDir, targetDir); err != nil {
t.Fatalf("same-filesystem probe: %s", err)
}
// No litter: probe file removed, nothing else created.
entries, err := os.ReadDir(targetDir)
if err != nil {
t.Fatal(err)
}
if len(entries) != 0 {
t.Errorf("probe left %d entries in target dir", len(entries))
}
entries, err = os.ReadDir(tmpDir)
if err != nil {
t.Fatal(err)
}
if len(entries) != 0 {
t.Errorf("probe left %d entries in tmp dir", len(entries))
}
}
func TestRenameProbeFailsClosed(t *testing.T) {
tmpDir := t.TempDir()
t.Run("missing tmp dir", func(t *testing.T) {
if err := renameProbeOK(filepath.Join(tmpDir, "nope"), tmpDir); err == nil {
t.Error("expected error for missing tmp dir, got nil")
}
})
t.Run("unwritable target dir", func(t *testing.T) {
targetDir := t.TempDir()
if err := os.Chmod(targetDir, 0o500); err != nil {
t.Fatal(err)
}
defer os.Chmod(targetDir, 0o700)
if err := renameProbeOK(tmpDir, targetDir); err == nil {
t.Error("expected error for unwritable target dir, got nil")
}
})
t.Run("missing target dir", func(t *testing.T) {
if err := renameProbeOK(tmpDir, filepath.Join(tmpDir, "nope")); err == nil {
t.Error("expected error for missing target dir, got nil")
}
})
}