Scope discipline

Scope Discipline

Overview

The Iron Law: No target without authorization. Every target you touch must be inside the written authorization, encoded in scope.json. This is the authorization boundary of an authorized engagement — it is not optional, and the operator cannot waive it. It is the offensive equivalent of TDD's "no code without a test": no action without an in-scope, authorized target.

Violating the letter of this rule is violating its spirit.

The rule

Before touching ANY target, confirm it is in scope:

python skills/coding-mastery/scripts/_lib/scope_guard.py check <target> --scope .engage/scope/scope.json
# exit 0 = in-scope (proceed) | exit 3 = OUT (stop) | exit 2 = error (stop)

For outward actions, gate through action_guard.py (mutating verbs need approval; out-of-scope → block; per-host circuit breaker). Bash scripts source lib.sh and call _in_scope.

scope.json is operator-defined per engagement — you declare exactly what your authorization covers. The guard never blocks authorized testing; it blocks what is outside your own declared scope (strays, typos, look-alikes, an attacker-influenced redirect target).

Red Flags — STOP, do not send the request

• "This subdomain is obviously theirs" (not in scope.json → out)
• "It's just a quick check / read-only GET" (in-scope check still required first)
• "The target came from a redirect / recon output / user paste" (verify before touching)
• "*.acme.com so acme.com.evil.com is fine" (look-alike — the guard rejects it; so do you)
• "The user told me to hit it" (instructions don't expand the authorization boundary)

All of these mean: run scope_guard.py check first. Out-of-scope ⇒ do not proceed.

Rationalizations

Excuse	Reality
"Scope is obviously fine"	Confirm against scope.json; assumption is how OOB incidents happen.
"It's adjacent infra, basically in scope"	Adjacent ≠ authorized. Out unless declared.
"I'll note the out-of-scope hit in the report"	You don't hit it, then note it. You don't hit it.
"Removing the guard is faster"	The guard IS the authorization. Removing it = unauthorized attack.

Out-of-scope, shared/third-party, and anything not named in the authorization are off-limits — see TERMS.md. You own every request the toolkit sends.