Say why a mnemonic is refused (closes #76)

Every way a mnemonic could be invalid was reported as a checksum
failure, including an empty one. It is now refused as empty, as having
a word count other than 12, 15, 18, 21 or 24, as having a word that is
not on the BIP-39 word list, or as failing the checksum. A word not on
the list is named by its position, never by the word itself.

Judgement call: words are not lower-cased, so a capitalised word is
reported as not on the word list.

Model: opus-5-5
Co-authored-by: clawbot <sneak+clawbot@sneak.cloud>

README.md

@@ -119,10 +119,12 @@ order; the first one found wins:
 4. A prompt on the terminal with echo turned off.
 
 If none of these is available and standard input is not a terminal, the tool
-refuses and exits with status 1. A mnemonic that fails the BIP-39 checksum is
+refuses and exits with status 1. A mnemonic that is empty, does not have 12, 15,
-refused with a message saying so. Keys are derived from the mnemonic's words
+18, 21 or 24 words, has a word that is not on the BIP-39 word list, or fails the
-joined by single spaces, whatever whitespace is around or between them, so one
+BIP-39 checksum is refused with a message saying which. A word that is not on
-word per line, tabs or extra spaces give the same keys.
+the list is named by its position, never printed. Keys are derived from the
+mnemonic's words joined by single spaces, whatever whitespace is around or
+between them, so one word per line, tabs or extra spaces give the same keys.
 
 The key index, `--words`, the `--to` recipients and the file `age encrypt` or
 `age decrypt` is given to read are checked before the mnemonic is looked for, so

internal/mnemonic/mnemonic.go

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 
 	"golang.org/x/term"
@@ -29,6 +30,28 @@ var ErrMissing = errors.New(
 	"no mnemonic given and standard input is not a terminal",
 )
 
+// The lengths a BIP-39 mnemonic may have.
+const (
+	twelve     = 12
+	fifteen    = 15
+	eighteen   = 18
+	twentyOne  = 21
+	twentyFour = 24
+)
+
+// ErrEmpty is returned for a mnemonic with no words in it, such as the
+// output of a mnemonic command that printed nothing.
+var ErrEmpty = errors.New("the mnemonic is empty")
+
+// ErrWordCount is returned for a mnemonic with a number of words that
+// BIP-39 does not allow.
+var ErrWordCount = errors.New("a mnemonic has 12, 15, 18, 21 or 24 words")
+
+// ErrUnknownWord is returned for a mnemonic with a word that is not on
+// the BIP-39 English word list. The error gives the word's position,
+// never the word, so the mnemonic stays out of the message.
+var ErrUnknownWord = errors.New("not on the BIP-39 word list")
+
 // ErrChecksum is returned for a mnemonic that fails the BIP-39
 // checksum.
 var ErrChecksum = errors.New("the mnemonic fails its BIP-39 checksum")
@@ -126,13 +149,34 @@ func ask() (string, error) {
 
 // checked joins the words with single spaces, whatever whitespace
 // separated them, since the seed is computed over the string itself,
-// and refuses a mnemonic that does not pass the BIP-39 checksum.
+// and refuses a mnemonic that is not a valid BIP-39 mnemonic, with an
-func checked(words string) (string, error) {
+// error that says what is wrong with it.
-	words = strings.Join(strings.Fields(words), " ")
+func checked(text string) (string, error) {
+	words := strings.Fields(text)
 
-	if !bip39.IsMnemonicValid(words) {
+	switch len(words) {
+	case 0:
+		return "", ErrEmpty
+	case twelve, fifteen, eighteen, twentyOne, twentyFour:
+	default:
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("%w, not %d", ErrWordCount, len(words))
+	}
+
+	wordList := bip39.English()
+
+	for i, word := range words {
+		if !slices.Contains(wordList, word) {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf(
+				"word %d of the mnemonic is %w", i+1, ErrUnknownWord,
+			)
+		}
+	}
+
+	joined := strings.Join(words, " ")
+
+	if !bip39.IsMnemonicValid(joined) {
 		return "", ErrChecksum
 	}
 
-	return words, nil
+	return joined, nil
 }

internal/mnemonic/mnemonic_test.go

@@ -97,6 +97,27 @@ func TestAFailingCommandSaysWhatWentWrong(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "nothing here")
 }
 
+func TestValidMnemonicsOf15To24WordsAreAccepted(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv(mnemonic.CommandVariable, "")
+
+	// abandon repeated, then the last word that makes the checksum
+	// match: 15, 18, 21 and 24 words.
+	valid := []string{
+		strings.Repeat("abandon ", 14) + "address",
+		strings.Repeat("abandon ", 17) + "agent",
+		strings.Repeat("abandon ", 20) + "admit",
+		strings.Repeat("abandon ", 23) + "art",
+	}
+
+	for _, words := range valid {
+		t.Setenv(mnemonic.Variable, words)
+
+		got, err := mnemonic.Read(t.Context(), "")
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.Equal(t, words, got)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestABadChecksumIsRefused(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Setenv(mnemonic.CommandVariable, "")
 	t.Setenv(mnemonic.Variable, broken())
@@ -105,6 +126,38 @@ func TestABadChecksumIsRefused(t *testing.T) {
 	require.ErrorIs(t, err, mnemonic.ErrChecksum)
 }
 
+func TestACommandThatPrintsNothingGivesAnEmptyMnemonic(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv(mnemonic.CommandVariable, "")
+	t.Setenv(mnemonic.Variable, "")
+
+	_, err := mnemonic.Read(t.Context(), "true")
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, mnemonic.ErrEmpty)
+	require.NotContains(t, err.Error(), "checksum")
+}
+
+func TestAWrongWordCountIsRefused(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv(mnemonic.CommandVariable, "")
+	t.Setenv(mnemonic.Variable, strings.Repeat("abandon ", 3))
+
+	_, err := mnemonic.Read(t.Context(), "")
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, mnemonic.ErrWordCount)
+	require.ErrorContains(t, err, "not 3")
+	require.NotContains(t, err.Error(), "checksum")
+}
+
+func TestAWordNotOnTheListIsNamedByPositionOnly(t *testing.T) {
+	const typo = "abuot"
+
+	t.Setenv(mnemonic.CommandVariable, "")
+	t.Setenv(mnemonic.Variable, strings.Repeat("abandon ", 11)+typo)
+
+	_, err := mnemonic.Read(t.Context(), "")
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, mnemonic.ErrUnknownWord)
+	require.ErrorContains(t, err, "word 12 ")
+	require.NotContains(t, err.Error(), typo)
+	require.NotContains(t, err.Error(), "checksum")
+}
+
 func TestNothingToReadAndNobodyToAsk(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Setenv(mnemonic.CommandVariable, "")
 	t.Setenv(mnemonic.Variable, "")