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codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix MDM `requirements_toml_base64` fails to resolve `~/` paths in `permissions.filesystem.deny_read`

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Root Cause

When loaded from /etc/codex/requirements.toml, these paths resolve correctly to /Users/$USER/.ssh and /Users/$USER/.aws. When the same TOML is base64-encoded and delivered via MDM managed preferences, deserialization fails because AbsolutePathBuf cannot resolve the ~/ prefix.

Fix Action

Fix / Workaround

Workaround: Use absolute paths (e.g. /Users/*/.ssh) in the MDM-delivered requirements, or deploy deny_read rules via /etc/codex/requirements.toml instead.

Code Example

{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "generatedAt": "1779673829s since unix epoch",
  "overallStatus": "ok",
  "codexVersion": "0.133.0",
  "checks": {
    "app_server.status": {
      "id": "app_server.status",
      "category": "app-server",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "background server is not running",
      "details": {
        "control socket": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/app-server-control/app-server-control.sock",
        "daemon state dir": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/app-server-daemon",
        "mode": "ephemeral",
        "pid file": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/app-server-daemon/app-server.pid (missing)",
        "settings": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/app-server-daemon/settings.json (missing)",
        "status": "not running",
        "update-loop pid file": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/app-server-daemon/app-server-updater.pid (missing)"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "auth.credentials": {
      "id": "auth.credentials",
      "category": "auth",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "auth is configured",
      "details": {
        "auth file": "/Users/<redacted>/.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": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex",
        "config.toml": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/config.toml",
        "config.toml parse": "ok",
        "cwd": "/Users/<redacted>/code/codex",
        "enabled feature flags": "shell_tool, unified_exec, shell_snapshot, terminal_resize_reflow, sqlite, enable_request_compression, multi_agent, apps, tool_suggest, plugins, plugin_hooks, browser_use_external, plugin_sharing, image_generation, skill_mcp_dependency_install, steer, guardian_approval, goals, collaboration_modes, tool_call_mcp_elicitation, personality, fast_mode, tui_app_server, workspace_dependencies",
        "feature flag overrides": "hooks=false, in_app_browser=false, browser_use=false, computer_use=false",
        "feature flags enabled": "24",
        "log dir": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/log",
        "mcp servers": "0",
        "model": "gpt-5.4",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "sqlite home": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "installation": {
      "id": "installation",
      "category": "install",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "installation looks consistent",
      "details": {
        "PATH codex #1": "/opt/homebrew/bin/codex",
        "current executable": "/opt/homebrew/bin/codex",
        "install context": "brew",
        "managed by bun": "false",
        "managed by npm": "false",
        "managed package root": "not set"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 6
    },
    "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": 290
    },
    "network.websocket_reachability": {
      "id": "network.websocket_reachability",
      "category": "websocket",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "Responses WebSocket handshake succeeded",
      "details": {
        "DNS": "2 IPv4, 2 IPv6, first IPv6",
        "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": 688
    },
    "runtime.provenance": {
      "id": "runtime.provenance",
      "category": "runtime",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "running brew on macos-aarch64",
      "details": {
        "commit": "unknown",
        "current executable": "/opt/homebrew/bin/codex",
        "install method": "brew",
        "platform": "macos-aarch64",
        "version": "0.133.0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "runtime.search": {
      "id": "runtime.search",
      "category": "search",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "search is OK (system)",
      "details": {
        "search command": "rg",
        "search command readiness": "ripgrep 15.1.0",
        "search provider": "system"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 55
    },
    "sandbox.helpers": {
      "id": "sandbox.helpers",
      "category": "sandbox",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "sandbox configuration is readable",
      "details": {
        "approval policy": "UnlessTrusted",
        "codex-linux-sandbox helper": "none",
        "execve wrapper helper": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/tmp/arg0/codex-arg0NbP16m/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": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex (dir)",
        "active rollout files": "123 files, 24182129 total bytes, 196602 average bytes",
        "archived rollout files": "0 files, 0 total bytes, 0 average bytes",
        "goals DB": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/goals_1.sqlite (file)",
        "goals DB integrity": "ok",
        "log DB": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/logs_2.sqlite (file)",
        "log DB integrity": "ok",
        "log dir": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/log (dir)",
        "sqlite home": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex (dir)",
        "state DB": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/state_5.sqlite (file)",
        "state DB integrity": "ok"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 184
    },
    "terminal.env": {
      "id": "terminal.env",
      "category": "terminal",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal metadata was detected",
      "details": {
        "COLORFGBG": "15;0",
        "COLORTERM": "truecolor",
        "TERMINFO_DIRS entry": [
          "/Applications/iTerm.app/Contents/Resources/terminfo (dir)",
          "/usr/share/terminfo (dir)"
        ],
        "TERM_PROGRAM": "iTerm.app",
        "color output": "enabled",
        "effective locale": "en_AU.UTF-8",
        "stderr is terminal": "true",
        "stdin is terminal": "true",
        "stdout is terminal": "true",
        "terminal": "iTerm2",
        "terminal size": "165x44",
        "terminal version": "3.6.10"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "updates.status": {
      "id": "updates.status",
      "category": "updates",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "update configuration is locally consistent",
      "details": {
        "cached latest version": "0.133.0",
        "check for update on startup": "true",
        "last checked at": "2026-05-25T01:32:36.401064Z",
        "latest version": "0.133.0",
        "latest version status": "current version is not older",
        "update action": "brew upgrade --cask codex",
        "version cache": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/version.json"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 76
    }
  }
}

---

[permissions.filesystem]
  deny_read = ["~/.ssh", "~/.aws"]

---

[permissions.filesystem]
  deny_read = ["~/.ssh"]
RAW_BUFFERClick to expand / collapse

What version of Codex CLI is running?

codex-cli 0.133.0

What subscription do you have?

ChatGPT Enterprise

Which model were you using?

GPT 5.4 - Issue is model agnostic

What platform is your computer?

Darwin 25.5.0 arm64 arm

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

iTerm2

Codex doctor report

{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "generatedAt": "1779673829s since unix epoch",
  "overallStatus": "ok",
  "codexVersion": "0.133.0",
  "checks": {
    "app_server.status": {
      "id": "app_server.status",
      "category": "app-server",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "background server is not running",
      "details": {
        "control socket": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/app-server-control/app-server-control.sock",
        "daemon state dir": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/app-server-daemon",
        "mode": "ephemeral",
        "pid file": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/app-server-daemon/app-server.pid (missing)",
        "settings": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/app-server-daemon/settings.json (missing)",
        "status": "not running",
        "update-loop pid file": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/app-server-daemon/app-server-updater.pid (missing)"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "auth.credentials": {
      "id": "auth.credentials",
      "category": "auth",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "auth is configured",
      "details": {
        "auth file": "/Users/<redacted>/.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": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex",
        "config.toml": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/config.toml",
        "config.toml parse": "ok",
        "cwd": "/Users/<redacted>/code/codex",
        "enabled feature flags": "shell_tool, unified_exec, shell_snapshot, terminal_resize_reflow, sqlite, enable_request_compression, multi_agent, apps, tool_suggest, plugins, plugin_hooks, browser_use_external, plugin_sharing, image_generation, skill_mcp_dependency_install, steer, guardian_approval, goals, collaboration_modes, tool_call_mcp_elicitation, personality, fast_mode, tui_app_server, workspace_dependencies",
        "feature flag overrides": "hooks=false, in_app_browser=false, browser_use=false, computer_use=false",
        "feature flags enabled": "24",
        "log dir": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/log",
        "mcp servers": "0",
        "model": "gpt-5.4",
        "model provider": "openai",
        "sqlite home": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "installation": {
      "id": "installation",
      "category": "install",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "installation looks consistent",
      "details": {
        "PATH codex #1": "/opt/homebrew/bin/codex",
        "current executable": "/opt/homebrew/bin/codex",
        "install context": "brew",
        "managed by bun": "false",
        "managed by npm": "false",
        "managed package root": "not set"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 6
    },
    "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": 290
    },
    "network.websocket_reachability": {
      "id": "network.websocket_reachability",
      "category": "websocket",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "Responses WebSocket handshake succeeded",
      "details": {
        "DNS": "2 IPv4, 2 IPv6, first IPv6",
        "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": 688
    },
    "runtime.provenance": {
      "id": "runtime.provenance",
      "category": "runtime",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "running brew on macos-aarch64",
      "details": {
        "commit": "unknown",
        "current executable": "/opt/homebrew/bin/codex",
        "install method": "brew",
        "platform": "macos-aarch64",
        "version": "0.133.0"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "runtime.search": {
      "id": "runtime.search",
      "category": "search",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "search is OK (system)",
      "details": {
        "search command": "rg",
        "search command readiness": "ripgrep 15.1.0",
        "search provider": "system"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 55
    },
    "sandbox.helpers": {
      "id": "sandbox.helpers",
      "category": "sandbox",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "sandbox configuration is readable",
      "details": {
        "approval policy": "UnlessTrusted",
        "codex-linux-sandbox helper": "none",
        "execve wrapper helper": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/tmp/arg0/codex-arg0NbP16m/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": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex (dir)",
        "active rollout files": "123 files, 24182129 total bytes, 196602 average bytes",
        "archived rollout files": "0 files, 0 total bytes, 0 average bytes",
        "goals DB": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/goals_1.sqlite (file)",
        "goals DB integrity": "ok",
        "log DB": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/logs_2.sqlite (file)",
        "log DB integrity": "ok",
        "log dir": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/log (dir)",
        "sqlite home": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex (dir)",
        "state DB": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/state_5.sqlite (file)",
        "state DB integrity": "ok"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 184
    },
    "terminal.env": {
      "id": "terminal.env",
      "category": "terminal",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "terminal metadata was detected",
      "details": {
        "COLORFGBG": "15;0",
        "COLORTERM": "truecolor",
        "TERMINFO_DIRS entry": [
          "/Applications/iTerm.app/Contents/Resources/terminfo (dir)",
          "/usr/share/terminfo (dir)"
        ],
        "TERM_PROGRAM": "iTerm.app",
        "color output": "enabled",
        "effective locale": "en_AU.UTF-8",
        "stderr is terminal": "true",
        "stdin is terminal": "true",
        "stdout is terminal": "true",
        "terminal": "iTerm2",
        "terminal size": "165x44",
        "terminal version": "3.6.10"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 0
    },
    "updates.status": {
      "id": "updates.status",
      "category": "updates",
      "status": "ok",
      "summary": "update configuration is locally consistent",
      "details": {
        "cached latest version": "0.133.0",
        "check for update on startup": "true",
        "last checked at": "2026-05-25T01:32:36.401064Z",
        "latest version": "0.133.0",
        "latest version status": "current version is not older",
        "update action": "brew upgrade --cask codex",
        "version cache": "/Users/<redacted>/.codex/version.json"
      },
      "remediation": null,
      "durationMs": 76
    }
  }
}

What issue are you seeing?

Tilde (~/) path expansion fails in permissions.filesystem.deny_read entries when delivered via MDM requirements_toml_base64, but works correctly in /etc/codex/requirements.toml.

Example requirements TOML (base64-encoded and deployed via MDM profile under com.openai.codex requirements_toml_base64):

  [permissions.filesystem]
  deny_read = ["~/.ssh", "~/.aws"]

When loaded from /etc/codex/requirements.toml, these paths resolve correctly to /Users/$USER/.ssh and /Users/$USER/.aws. When the same TOML is base64-encoded and delivered via MDM managed preferences, deserialization fails because AbsolutePathBuf cannot resolve the ~/ prefix.

Root cause: parse_managed_requirements_base64 in codex-rs/config/src/loader/macos.rs calls toml::from_str::<ConfigRequirementsToml>(...) without first setting an AbsolutePathBufGuard. The FilesystemDenyReadPattern deserializer relies on the thread-local guard to resolve non-absolute paths (including ~/). Without it, paths that aren't already absolute fail with "AbsolutePathBuf deserialized without a base path".

By contrast:

  • /etc/codex/requirements.toml sets the guard at mod.rs:556
  • Cloud requirements were fixed for this same issue in PR #23729 (merged 2026-05-20)

The MDM requirements path was not updated in that PR.

Workaround: Use absolute paths (e.g. /Users/*/.ssh) in the MDM-delivered requirements, or deploy deny_read rules via /etc/codex/requirements.toml instead.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

  1. Create a requirements TOML file with a tilde path in deny_read:
  [permissions.filesystem]
  deny_read = ["~/.ssh"]

  1. Base64-encode it: base64 -I requirements.toml

  2. Deploy via MDM profile targeting the com.openai.codex preference domain with key requirements_toml_base64, or simulate locally with:

defaults write com.openai.codex requirements_toml_base64 "$(base64 -i requirements.toml)"

  1. Launch Codex CLI. The deny_read rule fails to load — ~/.ssh is not enforced.
  2. For comparison, place the same TOML content at /etc/codex/requirements.toml and restart Codex. The ~/.ssh deny_read rule loads and is enforced correctly.

What is the expected behavior?

Tilde paths (~/) in permissions.filesystem.deny_read entries should resolve to the current user's home directory regardless of whether the requirements TOML is delivered via MDM managed preferences (requirements_toml_base64) or via the filesystem (/etc/codex/requirements.toml). Both delivery mechanisms should produce identical runtime behavior for the same TOML content.

Additional information

This is the same class of bug fixed in PR #23729 (commit 0edcc4b94e) for cloud requirements. That fix added an AbsolutePathBufGuard::new(codex_home) before toml::from_str in the cloud requirements parsing path. The MDM requirements path in codex-rs/config/src/loader/macos.rs:parse_managed_requirements_base64 has the identical omission but was not included in that fix.

The fix is a one-line addition of let _guard = AbsolutePathBufGuard::new(requirements_base_dir); before the toml::from_str call, plus threading codex_home through as the base directory (matching the convention established in #23729 and documented in the comment at mod.rs:364-370).

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codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix MDM `requirements_toml_base64` fails to resolve `~/` paths in `permissions.filesystem.deny_read`