# NousResearch/hermes-agent · Pre-execution approval gating for tool calls

## Open now

- 6 issues, 3 PRs open on GitHub.
- #34320: Feature: Deterministic approval gate — intercept consequential tool calls before execution
- #34348: Feature: User-approval gate for outbound communication tools (send_message, email, etc.)
- #35357: \[Security\] Tirith approval gate does not cover non-shell tools — send_message, write_file bypass human-in-the-loop entirely
- #49167: Feature: Tool-level approval gating for MCP tools (like terminal security scan, but for external writes)
- #56969: \[Feature\]: Tool Call Pre-Execution Hook — Enable URL Routing Rules Before Tool Dispatch
- #60440: write_file and patch tools bypass skills.write_approval gate
- PR #60482: fix: block write_file/patch from bypassing skills.write_approval gate
- PR #60501: fix(tools): route skill-path writes through write_approval gate (#60440)
- PR #102820: fix(skills): honor active profile in file write guard

These issues and PRs concern adding configurable approval gates that intercept tool calls before execution, with particular focus on ensuring write_file, patch, send_message, and other consequential tools cannot bypass human-in-the-loop or permission checks. Work spans feature requests, security reports, plugin hooks, and fixes to close bypass gaps.

## TL;DR

- 15 member(s): 6 open issue(s), 4 closed issue(s), 3 open PR(s), 1 merged PR(s), 1 PR(s) closed without merging.
- No fix has been merged to main; one or more PRs were attempted (see below).
- **Recommended:** review the prior/competing PR(s) below. A fix was attempted but not merged; your case may extend or revive that work.

## Maintainer resolution verdict

- Internal-tracker verdict over this cluster's issue members: `partially_resolved` · deciding PR(s): `pr-58698`. This is distinct from the fix status above. Weigh it yourself.

## How this cluster was grouped

- Link evidence (`STRUCTURAL_PARTIAL`): some members are connected by structural evidence (shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference); the rest are joined by an automated relevance judgement over their text.
- Members outside that structural core may belong to a different underlying problem.
- Pairwise link density `0.08`: the share of member pairs that carry a link, counting a structural link in full and a relevance-only link at 0.36. `1.00` means every pair is linked.

## Open related issues

- #34320: Feature: Deterministic approval gate — intercept consequential tool calls before execution
- #34348: Feature: User-approval gate for outbound communication tools (send_message, email, etc.)
- #35357: \[Security\] Tirith approval gate does not cover non-shell tools — send_message, write_file bypass human-in-the-loop entirely
- #49167: Feature: Tool-level approval gating for MCP tools (like terminal security scan, but for external writes)
- #56969: \[Feature\]: Tool Call Pre-Execution Hook — Enable URL Routing Rules Before Tool Dispatch
- #60440: write_file and patch tools bypass skills.write_approval gate

## Closed / duplicate issues

- #21849: feat: Tool Permission Gating System (per-tool rules + mode-based fallback)
- #33905: \[Feature\]: Per-Tool / Per-Toolset Approval Policies
- #34319: Feature: Deterministic approval gate — intercept consequential tool calls before execution
- #51221: Feature Request: User-Configurable Runtime Approval for External Actions

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#58698: feat(plugins): pre_tool_call approve action escalates to human gate (closes #51221)**. merged to main
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`; implication `superseded`
  - files: `agent/agent_runtime_helpers.py`, `agent/tool_executor.py`, `hermes_cli/plugins.py`, `model_tools.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_plugins.py`, `tests/run_agent/test_run_agent.py`, `tests/run_agent/test_tool_call_guardrail_runtime.py`, `tests/tools/test_request_tool_approval.py`, `tools/approval.py`
- **#60482: fix: block write_file/patch from bypassing skills.write_approval gate**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `uncategorized`; implication `needs_llm`
  - files: `tools/file_tools.py`
- **#60501: fix(tools): route skill-path writes through write_approval gate (#60440)**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `uncategorized`; implication `needs_llm`
  - files: `tools/file_tools.py`
- **#63847: feat(approvals): add write-file approval mode**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `uncategorized`; implication `needs_llm`
- **#102820: fix(skills): honor active profile in file write guard**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `uncategorized`; implication `needs_llm`; refs `#60482`, `#60501`, `#60440`
  - files: `tests/tools/test_file_tools.py`, `tests/tools/test_write_approval.py`, `tools/file_tools.py`, `tools/write_approval.py`

## Fix status

- No merged fix on record.
- Subsystem: `agent`