Flip the default for HERMES_REDACT_SECRETS from off to on so the redactor
already wired into send_message_tool, logs, and tool output actually runs
on a fresh install.
- agent/redact.py: env-var default "" → "true"
- hermes_cli/config.py: DEFAULT_CONFIG security.redact_secrets True;
two config-template comments rewritten
- gateway/run.py + cli.py: startup log / banner warning when the user
has explicitly opted out, so the downgrade is visible in agent.log
and at CLI banner time
- docs/reference/environment-variables.md: description reconciled
- tests: flipped the default-pin, restructured the force=True
regression test to explicit-false instead of unset
Users who need raw credential values (redactor development) can still
opt out via security.redact_secrets: false in config.yaml or
HERMES_REDACT_SECRETS=false in .env.
Closes#17691.
Addresses #20785 (short-term output-pipeline recommendation).
Flips security.redact_secrets from true to false in DEFAULT_CONFIG, and
the HERMES_REDACT_SECRETS env-var fallback in agent/redact.py now
requires explicit opt-in ("1"/"true"/"yes"/"on") to enable.
New installs and users without a security.redact_secrets key get pass-
through tool output. Existing users whose config.yaml explicitly sets
redact_secrets: true keep redaction on — the config-yaml -> env-var
bridges in hermes_cli/main.py and gateway/run.py still honor their
setting.
Also updates the inline config comments, website docs, and the
hermes-agent skill so /hermes config set security.redact_secrets true
is now the documented way to turn it on.
agent/redact.py snapshots _REDACT_ENABLED from HERMES_REDACT_SECRETS at
module-import time. hermes_cli/main.py calls setup_logging() early, which
transitively imports agent.redact — BEFORE any config bridge has run. So
users who set 'security.redact_secrets: false' in config.yaml (instead of
HERMES_REDACT_SECRETS=false in .env) had the toggle silently ignored in
both 'hermes chat' and 'hermes gateway run'.
Bridge config.yaml -> env var in hermes_cli/main.py BEFORE setup_logging.
.env still wins (only set env when unset) — config.yaml is the fallback.
Regression tests in tests/hermes_cli/test_redact_config_bridge.py spawn
fresh subprocesses to verify:
- redact_secrets: false in config.yaml disables redaction
- default (key absent) leaves redaction enabled
- .env HERMES_REDACT_SECRETS=true overrides config.yaml
