Refuse a relative file:// storage_url and decode its escapes (closes #299)

The path after file:// was used as written. file://dest resolved
against the working directory, so a backup run from another directory
wrote elsewhere, exited 0 and left a snapshot that could not be
restored; my%20stick created a directory with that literal name.

Config load now refuses a file:// storage_url whose path is not
absolute. ParseStorageURL refuses it too and decodes percent-escapes;
a literal space still works. The rule is written in both packages
because config cannot import storage, which imports config.

A % not followed by two hex digits now fails when the storage is
opened, not at config load.

Model: opus-5-5

README.md

@@ -429,7 +429,10 @@ object store. Credentials are read from `s3.access_key_id` and
 `s3.secret_access_key` in the config file.
 
 **Local filesystem** (`file:///path/to/backup`): Stores blobs and metadata on
-a local or mounted filesystem. Useful for testing or backing up to a NAS.
+a local or mounted filesystem. Useful for testing or backing up to a NAS. The
+path must be absolute; a relative one is refused when the config loads.
+Percent-escapes in the path are decoded, so `my%20stick` and `my stick` name
+the same directory.
 
 **Rclone** (`rclone://remote/path`): Uses rclone's 70+ supported cloud
 providers. Requires rclone to be configured separately (`rclone config`).

TODO.md

@@ -22,15 +22,16 @@ the tag exists and is exercised; what is left is merging `next` to
 
 # Completed Steps
 
-- 2026-10-13: Recorded the size of the stored object for a blob a backup
-  found already stored
-  ([issue #300](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/300)). When the
-  upload was skipped, the blob row and the manifest kept the size of the
-  local copy, which differs from the stored object's when
-  `compression_level` or the recipients changed since it was written.
-  `snapshot verify` then failed on a good snapshot, shallow and deep,
-  and the listed sizes were wrong. Marking the blob uploaded now records
-  the size of the object in storage.
+- 2026-10-13: Refused a `file://` `storage_url` whose path is relative
+  ([issue #299](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/299)). The text
+  after `file://` was used as written, so `file://dest` resolved against
+  the working directory: a backup run from another directory wrote to a
+  different destination, still exited 0, and left a snapshot that could
+  not be restored. Such a URL now fails when the config loads, with an
+  error asking for an absolute path. Percent-escapes in the path are now
+  decoded, so `my%20stick` names the directory `my stick` instead of
+  creating one named `my%20stick`; a path written with a literal space
+  works as before.
 
 - 2026-10-13: Made `snapshot remove` fail for a snapshot that does not
   exist ([issue #293](https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/vaultik/issues/293)).

docs/DATAMODEL.md

@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ Stores information about packed, compressed, and encrypted blob files.
 - `created_ts` (INTEGER NOT NULL) - Creation timestamp
 - `finished_ts` (INTEGER) - Finalization timestamp (NULL if in progress)
 - `uncompressed_size` (INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0) - Total size of chunks before compression
-- `compressed_size` (INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0) - Size after compression and encryption. Once uploaded, the size of the object in storage: when the blob was already stored, under another compression level or other recipients, this differs from the size of the local copy
+- `compressed_size` (INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0) - Size after compression and encryption
 - `uploaded_ts` (INTEGER) - Upload completion timestamp (NULL if not uploaded)
 
 **Purpose:** Tracks blob lifecycle from creation through upload. The UUID primary key allows immediate association of chunks with blobs.
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ Tracks blob upload metrics.
    - `UPDATE blobs SET blob_hash = ?, finished_ts = ?` - Finalize blob after packing
 
 4. **Upload**
-   - `UPDATE blobs SET uploaded_ts = ?, compressed_size = ?` - Mark blob as uploaded, with the size of the object in storage (the upload is skipped when the blob is already stored)
+   - `UPDATE blobs SET uploaded_ts = ?` - Mark blob as uploaded
    - `INSERT INTO uploads` - Record upload metrics with snapshot_id
    - `INSERT INTO snapshot_blobs` - Associate blob with snapshot
 

internal/config/config.go

@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ var (
 	errBadS3PartSize    = errors.New("s3.part_size must be between 5MiB and 5GiB")
 	errBadStorageScheme = errors.New(
 		"storage_url must start with s3://, file://, or rclone://")
+	errFileURLNotAbsolute = errors.New(
+		"a file:// storage_url needs an absolute path, " +
+			"as in file:///path/to/backup")
 	errStorageNotConfigured = errors.New(
 		"storage not configured; set storage_url or provide s3.endpoint + " +
 			"s3.bucket + credentials")
@@ -461,11 +464,18 @@ func (c *Config) validateStorage() error {
 
 // validateStorageURL validates URL-based storage configuration. File and
 // rclone URLs need no credentials; S3 URLs require the legacy s3.*
-// credential fields.
+// credential fields. A file URL must name an absolute path: a relative one
+// would resolve against the working directory, so the destination would
+// move with it.
 func (c *Config) validateStorageURL() error {
 	switch {
 	case strings.HasPrefix(c.StorageURL, "file://"):
-		// File storage doesn't need S3 credentials
+		// storage.ParseStorageURL applies the same rule, but config
+		// cannot import storage, which imports config.
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(c.StorageURL, "file:///") {
+			return errFileURLNotAbsolute
+		}
+
 		return nil
 	case strings.HasPrefix(c.StorageURL, "rclone://"):
 		// Rclone storage uses rclone's own config

internal/config/config_test.go

@@ -337,6 +337,35 @@ func TestLoadS3PartSize(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+// TestLoadRejectsRelativeFileURL checks that a file:// storage_url with a
+// relative path fails at load. Accepted, it would resolve against the
+// working directory, so a backup run from another directory would write
+// to a different destination and still succeed.
+func TestLoadRejectsRelativeFileURL(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const relativeConfig = "snapshots:\n" +
+		"  test:\n" +
+		"    paths: [/tmp/vaultik-test-source]\n" +
+		"storage_url: file://dest\n"
+
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.yml")
+
+	err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte(relativeConfig), 0o600)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write config: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	_, err = Load(path)
+	if !errors.Is(err, errFileURLNotAbsolute) {
+		t.Fatalf("Load() error = %v, want errFileURLNotAbsolute", err)
+	}
+
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "absolute path") {
+		t.Errorf("error %q does not say to use an absolute path", err.Error())
+	}
+}
+
 // TestValidateAgeRecipients checks that recipients are parsed at config load
 // (a bad entry fails immediately, not mid-backup) and that no invalid entry —
 // least of all a pasted secret key — is echoed in the error. An empty list

internal/database/blobs.go

@@ -159,16 +159,13 @@ func (r *BlobRepository) UpdateFinished(
 	return nil
 }
 
-// UpdateUploaded marks a blob as uploaded and records the size of the
-// stored object as its compressed size. That size can differ from the
-// local copy's when an identical blob was already stored with another
-// compression level or other recipients.
+// UpdateUploaded marks a blob as uploaded
 func (r *BlobRepository) UpdateUploaded(
-	ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, id string, storedSize int64,
+	ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx, id string,
 ) error {
 	query := `
-		UPDATE blobs
-		SET uploaded_ts = ?, compressed_size = ?
+		UPDATE blobs 
+		SET uploaded_ts = ?
 		WHERE id = ?
 	`
 
@@ -176,9 +173,9 @@ func (r *BlobRepository) UpdateUploaded(
 
 	var err error
 	if tx != nil {
-		_, err = tx.ExecContext(ctx, query, now, storedSize, id)
+		_, err = tx.ExecContext(ctx, query, now, id)
 	} else {
-		_, err = r.db.ExecWithLog(ctx, query, now, storedSize, id)
+		_, err = r.db.ExecWithLog(ctx, query, now, id)
 	}
 
 	if err != nil {

internal/database/blobs_test.go

@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ func TestBlobRepositoryUpdates(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("expected compressed size 500, got %d", updated.CompressedSize)
 	}
 
-	// Test UpdateUploaded, with a stored object larger than the local copy
-	err = repo.UpdateUploaded(ctx, nil, blob.ID.String(), 600)
+	// Test UpdateUploaded
+	err = repo.UpdateUploaded(ctx, nil, blob.ID.String())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to update blob as uploaded: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -141,10 +141,6 @@ func TestBlobRepositoryUpdates(t *testing.T) {
 	if uploaded.UploadedTS.Before(now.Add(-1 * time.Second)) {
 		t.Error("uploaded timestamp should be around test time")
 	}
-
-	if uploaded.CompressedSize != 600 {
-		t.Errorf("expected the stored size 600, got %d", uploaded.CompressedSize)
-	}
 }
 
 func TestBlobRepositoryDuplicate(t *testing.T) {

internal/snapshot/scanner.go

@@ -1509,8 +1509,7 @@ func (s *Scanner) finalizeProcessPhase(ctx context.Context, result *ScanResult)
 			// snapshot references has uploaded_ts set, so deduplication and
 			// interrupted-run repair treat these blobs as trustworthy.
 			err = s.repos.WithTx(ctx, func(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
-				err := s.repos.Blobs.UpdateUploaded(
-					ctx, tx, b.ID, b.Compressed)
+				err := s.repos.Blobs.UpdateUploaded(ctx, tx, b.ID)
 				if err != nil {
 					return fmt.Errorf("marking blob uploaded: %w", err)
 				}
@@ -1546,7 +1545,7 @@ func (s *Scanner) handleBlobReady(
 	blobPath := fmt.Sprintf("blobs/%s/%s/%s",
 		finishedBlob.Hash[:2], finishedBlob.Hash[2:4], finishedBlob.Hash)
 
-	storedSize, blobExists, err := s.uploadBlobIfNeeded(
+	blobExists, err := s.uploadBlobIfNeeded(
 		ctx, blobPath, blobWithReader, startTime, result)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.cleanupBlobTempFile(blobWithReader)
@@ -1554,8 +1553,7 @@ func (s *Scanner) handleBlobReady(
 		return fmt.Errorf("uploading blob %s: %w", finishedBlob.Hash, err)
 	}
 
-	err = s.recordBlobMetadata(
-		ctx, finishedBlob, storedSize, blobExists, startTime)
+	err = s.recordBlobMetadata(ctx, finishedBlob, blobExists, startTime)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.cleanupBlobTempFile(blobWithReader)
 
@@ -1577,22 +1575,20 @@ func (s *Scanner) handleBlobReady(
 }
 
 // uploadBlobIfNeeded uploads the blob to storage if it doesn't already
-// exist. It returns the size of the object in storage, which for an
-// existing object can differ from the local copy's, and whether it
-// already existed.
+// exist, returns whether it existed
 func (s *Scanner) uploadBlobIfNeeded(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	blobPath string,
 	blobWithReader *blob.WithReader,
 	startTime time.Time,
 	result *ScanResult,
-) (int64, bool, error) {
+) (bool, error) {
 	finishedBlob := blobWithReader.FinishedBlob
 
 	// Check if blob already exists (deduplication after restart)
 	destination := s.storage.Info().Location
 
-	stored, err := s.storage.Stat(ctx, blobPath)
+	_, err := s.storage.Stat(ctx, blobPath)
 	if err == nil {
 		log.Info("Blob already exists in storage, skipping upload",
 			"hash", finishedBlob.Hash,
@@ -1601,7 +1597,7 @@ func (s *Scanner) uploadBlobIfNeeded(
 			s.ui.Hex(finishedBlob.Hash), s.ui.Size(finishedBlob.Compressed),
 			s.ui.Path(destination))
 
-		return stored.Size, true, nil
+		return true, nil
 	}
 
 	s.ui.Beginf("Uploading blob %s (%s) to %s.",
@@ -1615,7 +1611,7 @@ func (s *Scanner) uploadBlobIfNeeded(
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error("Failed to upload blob", "hash", finishedBlob.Hash, "error", err)
 
-		return 0, false, fmt.Errorf("uploading blob to storage: %w", err)
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("uploading blob to storage: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	uploadDuration := time.Since(startTime)
@@ -1646,7 +1642,7 @@ func (s *Scanner) uploadBlobIfNeeded(
 		stats.BytesUploaded.Add(finishedBlob.Compressed)
 	}
 
-	return finishedBlob.Compressed, false, nil
+	return false, nil
 }
 
 // makeUploadProgressCallback creates a progress callback for blob uploads.
@@ -1716,7 +1712,6 @@ func (s *Scanner) makeUploadProgressCallback(
 func (s *Scanner) recordBlobMetadata(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	finishedBlob *blob.FinishedBlob,
-	storedSize int64,
 	blobExists bool,
 	startTime time.Time,
 ) error {
@@ -1728,8 +1723,7 @@ func (s *Scanner) recordBlobMetadata(
 	uploadDuration := time.Since(startTime)
 
 	return s.repos.WithTx(ctx, func(txCtx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
-		err := s.repos.Blobs.UpdateUploaded(
-			txCtx, tx, finishedBlob.ID, storedSize)
+		err := s.repos.Blobs.UpdateUploaded(txCtx, tx, finishedBlob.ID)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("updating blob upload timestamp: %w", err)
 		}

internal/storage/url.go

@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ const (
 
 // Sentinel errors for storage URL parsing.
 var (
-	ErrEmptyStorageURL   = errors.New("storage URL is empty")
-	ErrEmptyFilePath     = errors.New("file URL path is empty")
+	ErrEmptyStorageURL  = errors.New("storage URL is empty")
+	ErrEmptyFilePath    = errors.New("file URL path is empty")
+	ErrRelativeFilePath = errors.New(
+		"file URL needs an absolute path, as in file:///path/to/backup")
 	ErrMissingBucket     = errors.New("s3 URL missing bucket name")
 	ErrMissingRemote     = errors.New("rclone URL missing remote name")
 	ErrUnsupportedScheme = errors.New(
@@ -51,17 +53,8 @@ func ParseStorageURL(rawURL string) (*URL, error) {
 		return nil, ErrEmptyStorageURL
 	}
 
-	// Handle file:// URLs
 	if after, ok := strings.CutPrefix(rawURL, "file://"); ok {
-		path := after
-		if path == "" {
-			return nil, ErrEmptyFilePath
-		}
-
-		return &URL{
-			Scheme: schemeFile,
-			Prefix: path,
-		}, nil
+		return parseFileURL(after)
 	}
 
 	if strings.HasPrefix(rawURL, "s3://") {
@@ -75,6 +68,27 @@ func ParseStorageURL(rawURL string) (*URL, error) {
 	return nil, ErrUnsupportedScheme
 }
 
+// parseFileURL parses the path that follows file://. The path must be
+// absolute: a relative one would resolve against the working directory,
+// so the destination would move with it. Percent-escapes are decoded, so
+// my%20stick names the directory "my stick"; a literal space is kept.
+func parseFileURL(rawPath string) (*URL, error) {
+	if rawPath == "" {
+		return nil, ErrEmptyFilePath
+	}
+
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(rawPath, "/") {
+		return nil, ErrRelativeFilePath
+	}
+
+	path, err := url.PathUnescape(rawPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid file URL path: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return &URL{Scheme: schemeFile, Prefix: path}, nil
+}
+
 // parseS3URL parses an s3://bucket/prefix URL. It rejects credentials in
 // the userinfo and any query parameter other than endpoint, region and
 // ssl, so a credential-bearing URL is never stored or echoed.

internal/storage/url_parse_test.go

@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ import (
 func TestParseStorageURLValid(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
-	const bucket = "mybucket"
+	const (
+		bucket     = "mybucket"
+		fileScheme = "file"
+	)
 
 	cases := []struct {
 		name string
@@ -24,7 +27,17 @@ func TestParseStorageURLValid(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "file absolute path",
 			raw:  "file:///var/backups/vaultik",
-			want: &storage.URL{Scheme: "file", Prefix: "/var/backups/vaultik"},
+			want: &storage.URL{Scheme: fileScheme, Prefix: "/var/backups/vaultik"},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "file percent-escaped path is decoded",
+			raw:  "file:///Volumes/my%20stick/backup",
+			want: &storage.URL{Scheme: fileScheme, Prefix: "/Volumes/my stick/backup"},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "file path with a literal space",
+			raw:  "file:///Volumes/my stick/backup",
+			want: &storage.URL{Scheme: fileScheme, Prefix: "/Volumes/my stick/backup"},
 		},
 		{
 			name: "s3 bucket and prefix, ssl defaults on",
@@ -90,6 +103,7 @@ func TestParseStorageURLErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	}{
 		{"empty url", "", storage.ErrEmptyStorageURL},
 		{"file empty path", "file://", storage.ErrEmptyFilePath},
+		{"file relative path", "file://dest", storage.ErrRelativeFilePath},
 		{"s3 missing bucket", "s3://", storage.ErrMissingBucket},
 		{"s3 missing bucket with path", "s3:///justprefix", storage.ErrMissingBucket},
 		{"rclone missing remote", "rclone://", storage.ErrMissingRemote},

internal/vaultik/reused_blob_verify_test.go

@@ -1,83 +0,0 @@
-package vaultik_test
-
-import (
-	"context"
-	"io"
-	"path/filepath"
-	"testing"
-
-	"filippo.io/age"
-	"github.com/spf13/afero"
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
-	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/log"
-	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/ui"
-	"sneak.berlin/go/vaultik/internal/vaultik"
-)
-
-// TestVerifyPassesWhenBackupReusesStoredBlob backs up a file, then backs it
-// up again from an empty local index, as after `database delete`, with an
-// extra age recipient. The second backup builds the same blob, finds it
-// already stored and skips the upload, but its own copy is larger, because
-// age writes a header entry for each recipient. The second snapshot must
-// record the size of the stored object, so shallow and deep verify pass.
-func TestVerifyPassesWhenBackupReusesStoredBlob(t *testing.T) {
-	log.Initialize(log.Config{})
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	fs := afero.NewOsFs()
-	tempDir := t.TempDir()
-
-	dataDir := filepath.Join(tempDir, "source")
-	storeDir := filepath.Join(tempDir, "remote")
-	secondDBPath := filepath.Join(tempDir, "second.sqlite")
-
-	chunkSize := int64(64 * 1024)
-	maxBlobSize := int64(512 * 1024)
-
-	require.NoError(t, fs.MkdirAll(dataDir, 0o755))
-	require.NoError(t, afero.WriteFile(fs,
-		filepath.Join(dataDir, "data.bin"),
-		bytesPattern("reuse-", int(chunkSize*3)), 0o644))
-
-	ctx := context.Background()
-
-	runFileStorageBackup(ctx, t, fs, dataDir, storeDir,
-		filepath.Join(tempDir, "first.sqlite"), chunkSize, maxBlobSize)
-
-	env := setupDedupBackupEnv(
-		ctx, t, fs, storeDir, secondDBPath, chunkSize, maxBlobSize)
-
-	defer func() { _ = env.db.Close() }()
-
-	extra, err := age.GenerateX25519Identity()
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	env.cfg.AgeRecipients = append(env.cfg.AgeRecipients,
-		extra.Recipient().String())
-
-	snapshotID, result := runDedupSnapshot(ctx, t, env.sm, env.makeScanner(),
-		env.cfg.Hostname, "second", dataDir, secondDBPath)
-	require.Positive(t, result.BlobsCreated)
-	require.Zero(t, result.BlobsUploaded,
-		"the second backup should find every blob already stored")
-
-	require.NoError(t, env.db.Close())
-
-	verifier := &vaultik.Vaultik{
-		Config:  env.cfg,
-		Storage: env.storer,
-		Fs:      fs,
-		Stdout:  io.Discard,
-		Stderr:  io.Discard,
-		UI:      ui.NewWithColor(io.Discard, false),
-	}
-	verifier.SetContext(ctx)
-
-	require.NoError(t,
-		verifier.VerifySnapshotWithOptions(snapshotID, &vaultik.VerifyOptions{}),
-		"shallow verify should pass")
-	require.NoError(t,
-		verifier.VerifySnapshotWithOptions(snapshotID,
-			&vaultik.VerifyOptions{Deep: true}),
-		"deep verify should pass")
-}