From b3e220acf183c648326a60e2ce82a7de5ef0bdc3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: LukeGus <bugattiguy527@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2026 16:35:09 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] fix: host key silently accepted when the host is missing from
 the database (#1397)

---
 src/backend/hosts/host-key-verifier.ts        | 33 +++++++++++++-
 .../tests/hosts/host-key-recovery.test.ts     | 44 +++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 75 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/backend/hosts/host-key-verifier.ts b/src/backend/hosts/host-key-verifier.ts
index fb7158f25..375260568 100644
--- a/src/backend/hosts/host-key-verifier.ts
+++ b/src/backend/hosts/host-key-verifier.ts
@@ -84,18 +84,47 @@ export class SSHHostKeyVerifier {
                   hostId,
                 );
 
+          // No row means nothing to compare against and nowhere to save the
+          // key, so it is never accepted silently (#1397): the user decides
+          // when there is a socket to ask on, otherwise it is refused.
           if (!host) {
+            if (!ws) {
+              sshLogger.error(
+                "Host not found in database during key verification, rejecting",
+                {
+                  operation: "host_key_no_host",
+                  hostId,
+                  ip,
+                  port,
+                  userId,
+                },
+              );
+              verify(false);
+              return;
+            }
+            const accepted = await this.promptUserForNewKey(
+              ws,
+              ip,
+              port,
+              undefined,
+              fingerprint,
+              keyType,
+              algorithm,
+            );
             sshLogger.warn(
-              "Host not found in database during key verification",
+              accepted
+                ? "Key for a host missing from the database accepted for this session only"
+                : "Key for a host missing from the database rejected",
               {
                 operation: "host_key_no_host",
                 hostId,
                 ip,
                 port,
+                fingerprint,
                 userId,
               },
             );
-            verify(true);
+            verify(accepted);
             return;
           }
 
diff --git a/src/backend/tests/hosts/host-key-recovery.test.ts b/src/backend/tests/hosts/host-key-recovery.test.ts
index 61e0b0ea7..1a09f8269 100644
--- a/src/backend/tests/hosts/host-key-recovery.test.ts
+++ b/src/backend/tests/hosts/host-key-recovery.test.ts
@@ -76,3 +76,47 @@ describe("host key recovery", () => {
     expect(accepted).toEqual([]);
   });
 });
+
+describe("a host missing from the database", () => {
+  function answeringSocket(action: "accept" | "reject") {
+    const socket = new EventEmitter() as EventEmitter & {
+      send: (data: string) => void;
+    };
+    socket.send = () =>
+      socket.emit(
+        "message",
+        Buffer.from(
+          JSON.stringify({
+            type: "host_key_verification_response",
+            data: { action },
+          }),
+        ),
+      );
+    return socket as unknown as WebSocket;
+  }
+
+  async function verifyMissingHost(ws: WebSocket | null) {
+    const verifier = await SSHHostKeyVerifier.createHostVerifier(
+      hostId,
+      "127.0.0.1",
+      22,
+      ws,
+      "user",
+      false,
+      null,
+    );
+    return new Promise<boolean>((resolve) =>
+      verifier(Buffer.from("any-key"), resolve),
+    );
+  }
+
+  it("refuses the key when nobody can be asked", async () => {
+    expect(await verifyMissingHost(null)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("asks the user and saves nothing", async () => {
+    expect(await verifyMissingHost(answeringSocket("accept"))).toBe(true);
+    expect(await verifyMissingHost(answeringSocket("reject"))).toBe(false);
+    expect(updateHostKey).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});