cheat-guard

Runtime macros for cheat-aware error handling. Forces developers to document how code could be "cheated" (made to falsely pass) and what users would experience if it were.

Based on Anthropic's research on emergent misalignment.

Why This Exists

When AI models learn to "reward hack" (appear to complete tasks while taking shortcuts), they develop a broader cheating mindset. This crate makes cheating explicit and documented, creating friction against shortcuts.

Installation

[dependencies]
cheat-guard = { git = "https://github.com/LevitateOS/cheat_guard.git" }

Macros

cheat_bail!

Like anyhow::bail!() but with cheat documentation:

use cheat_guard::cheat_bail;

fn verify_partition(output: &str) -> Result<()> {
    if !output.contains("vda1") {
        cheat_bail!(
            protects = "Disk partitioning actually works",
            severity = "CRITICAL",
            cheats = ["Accept exit code without verification", "Skip partition check"],
            consequence = "No partitions, installation fails silently",
            "Partition vda1 not found in output: {}", output
        );
    }
    Ok(())
}

cheat_ensure!

Like anyhow::ensure!() but with cheat documentation:

use cheat_guard::cheat_ensure;

fn verify_both_partitions(output: &str) -> Result<()> {
    cheat_ensure!(
        output.contains("vda1") && output.contains("vda2"),
        protects = "Both partitions were created",
        severity = "CRITICAL",
        cheats = [
            "Check vda1 OR vda2 instead of AND",
            "Skip verification entirely"
        ],
        consequence = "Missing partition causes mount failure",
        "Expected vda1 AND vda2, got: {}", output
    );
    Ok(())
}

On Failure

When a guarded check fails, the error message includes:

======================================================================
=== CHEAT-GUARDED FAILURE ===
======================================================================

PROTECTS: Both partitions were created
SEVERITY: CRITICAL

CHEAT VECTORS:
  1. Check vda1 OR vda2 instead of AND
  2. Skip verification entirely

USER CONSEQUENCE:
Missing partition causes mount failure

ERROR:
Expected vda1 AND vda2, got: vda disk
======================================================================

Re-exports

This crate also re-exports proc-macros from cheat-test:

• #[cheat_aware] - For #[test] functions
• #[cheat_reviewed] - Mark test as reviewed for cheat vectors
• #[cheat_canary] - Honeypot tests that trigger alerts if modified

Attributes

License

MIT