[alerts] allow action types to escape their own mustache templates

resolves #79371
resolves #75601
resolves #62928

In this PR, we allow action types to determine how to escape the
variables used in their parameters, when rendered as mustache
templates.  Prior to this, action parameters were recursively
rendered as mustache templates using the default mustache
templating, by the alerts library.  The default mustache
templating used html escaping.

Action types opt-in to the new capability via a new optional
method in the action type, `renderParameterTemplates()`.  If not
provided, the previous recursive rendering is done, but now with
no escaping at all.

For #75601, added toString() methods to mustache object variables
which allow them to be used in a template and expanded to
JSON, for experimentation / discovery of context variables.

For #62928, changed the mustache template rendering to be
replaced with the error message, if an error occurred,
so at least you can now see that an error occurred.  Useful
to diagnose problems with invalid mustache templates.

x-pack/plugins/actions/server/builtin_action_types/email.test.ts

@@ -396,4 +396,37 @@ describe('execute()', () => {
       }
     `);
   });
+
+  test('renders parameter templates as expected', async () => {
+    expect(actionType.renderParameterTemplates).toBeTruthy();
+    const paramsWithTemplates = {
+      to: [],
+      cc: ['{{rogue}}'],
+      bcc: ['jim', '{{rogue}}', 'bob'],
+      subject: '{{rogue}}',
+      message: '{{rogue}}',
+    };
+    const variables = {
+      rogue: '*bold*',
+    };
+    const params = actionType.renderParameterTemplates!(paramsWithTemplates, variables);
+    // Yes, this is tested in the snapshot below, but it's double-escaped there,
+    // so easier to see here that the escaping is correct.
+    expect(params.message).toBe('\\*bold\\*');
+    expect(params).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      Object {
+        "bcc": Array [
+          "jim",
+          "*bold*",
+          "bob",
+        ],
+        "cc": Array [
+          "*bold*",
+        ],
+        "message": "\\\\*bold\\\\*",
+        "subject": "*bold*",
+        "to": Array [],
+      }
+    `);
+  });
 });

x-pack/plugins/actions/server/builtin_action_types/email.ts

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import { portSchema } from './lib/schemas';
 import { Logger } from '../../../../../src/core/server';
 import { ActionType, ActionTypeExecutorOptions, ActionTypeExecutorResult } from '../types';
 import { ActionsConfigurationUtilities } from '../actions_config';
+import { renderMustacheString, renderMustacheObject } from '../lib/mustache_renderer';
 
 export type EmailActionType = ActionType<
   ActionTypeConfigType,
@@ -140,10 +141,23 @@ export function getActionType(params: GetActionTypeParams): EmailActionType {
       secrets: SecretsSchema,
       params: ParamsSchema,
     },
+    renderParameterTemplates,
     executor: curry(executor)({ logger }),
   };
 }
 
+function renderParameterTemplates(
+  params: ActionParamsType,
+  variables: Record<string, unknown>
+): ActionParamsType {
+  return {
+    // most of the params need no escaping
+    ...renderMustacheObject(params, variables),
+    // message however, needs to escaped as markdown
+    message: renderMustacheString(params.message, variables, 'markdown'),
+  };
+}
+
 // action executor
 
 async function executor(

x-pack/plugins/actions/server/builtin_action_types/slack.test.ts

@@ -213,4 +213,16 @@ describe('execute()', () => {
       'IncomingWebhook was called with proxyUrl https://someproxyhost'
     );
   });
+
+  test('renders parameter templates as expected', async () => {
+    expect(actionType.renderParameterTemplates).toBeTruthy();
+    const paramsWithTemplates = {
+      message: '{{rogue}}',
+    };
+    const variables = {
+      rogue: '*bold*',
+    };
+    const params = actionType.renderParameterTemplates!(paramsWithTemplates, variables);
+    expect(params.message).toBe('`*bold*`');
+  });
 });

x-pack/plugins/actions/server/builtin_action_types/slack.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import { pipe } from 'fp-ts/lib/pipeable';
 import { map, getOrElse } from 'fp-ts/lib/Option';
 import { Logger } from '../../../../../src/core/server';
 import { getRetryAfterIntervalFromHeaders } from './lib/http_rersponse_retry_header';
+import { renderMustacheString } from '../lib/mustache_renderer';
 
 import {
   ActionType,
@@ -73,10 +74,20 @@ export function getActionType({
       }),
       params: ParamsSchema,
     },
+    renderParameterTemplates,
     executor,
   };
 }
 
+function renderParameterTemplates(
+  params: ActionParamsType,
+  variables: Record<string, unknown>
+): ActionParamsType {
+  return {
+    message: renderMustacheString(params.message, variables, 'slack'),
+  };
+}
+
 function valdiateActionTypeConfig(
   configurationUtilities: ActionsConfigurationUtilities,
   secretsObject: ActionTypeSecretsType

x-pack/plugins/actions/server/builtin_action_types/webhook.test.ts

@@ -373,4 +373,28 @@ describe('execute()', () => {
           }
     `);
   });
+
+  test('renders parameter templates as expected', async () => {
+    const rogue = `double-quote:"; line-break->\n`;
+
+    expect(actionType.renderParameterTemplates).toBeTruthy();
+    const paramsWithTemplates = {
+      body: '{"x": "{{rogue}}"}',
+    };
+    const variables = {
+      rogue,
+    };
+    const params = actionType.renderParameterTemplates!(paramsWithTemplates, variables);
+
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+    let paramsObject: any;
+    try {
+      paramsObject = JSON.parse(`${params.body}`);
+    } catch (err) {
+      expect(err).toBe(null); // kinda weird, but test should fail if it can't parse
+    }
+
+    expect(paramsObject.x).toBe(rogue);
+    expect(params.body).toBe(`{"x": "double-quote:\\"; line-break->\\n"}`);
+  });
 });

x-pack/plugins/actions/server/builtin_action_types/webhook.ts

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { ActionType, ActionTypeExecutorOptions, ActionTypeExecutorResult } from
 import { ActionsConfigurationUtilities } from '../actions_config';
 import { Logger } from '../../../../../src/core/server';
 import { request } from './lib/axios_utils';
+import { renderMustacheString } from '../lib/mustache_renderer';
 
 // config definition
 export enum WebhookMethods {
@@ -91,10 +92,21 @@ export function getActionType({
       secrets: SecretsSchema,
       params: ParamsSchema,
     },
+    renderParameterTemplates,
     executor: curry(executor)({ logger }),
   };
 }
 
+function renderParameterTemplates(
+  params: ActionParamsType,
+  variables: Record<string, unknown>
+): ActionParamsType {
+  if (!params.body) return params;
+  return {
+    body: renderMustacheString(params.body, variables, 'json'),
+  };
+}
+
 function validateActionTypeConfig(
   configurationUtilities: ActionsConfigurationUtilities,
   configObject: ActionTypeConfigType

x-pack/plugins/actions/server/lib/mustache_renderer.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,187 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import { renderMustacheString, renderMustacheObject } from './mustache_renderer';
+
+const variables = {
+  a: 1,
+  b: '2',
+  c: false,
+  d: null,
+  e: undefined,
+  f: {
+    g: 3,
+  },
+  lt: '<',
+  gt: '>',
+  amp: '&',
+  nl: '\n',
+  dq: '"',
+  bt: '`',
+  bs: '\\',
+  st: '*',
+  ul: '_',
+  st_lt: '*<',
+};
+
+describe('mustache_renderer', () => {
+  describe('renderMustacheString()', () => {
+    it('handles basic templating that does not need escaping', () => {
+      expect(renderMustacheString('', variables, 'none')).toBe('');
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{a}}', variables, 'none')).toBe('1');
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{b}}', variables, 'none')).toBe('2');
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{c}}', variables, 'none')).toBe('false');
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{d}}', variables, 'none')).toBe('');
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{e}}', variables, 'none')).toBe('');
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{f.g}}', variables, 'none')).toBe('3');
+    });
+
+    it('handles escape:none with commonly escaped strings', () => {
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{lt}}', variables, 'none')).toBe(variables.lt);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{gt}}', variables, 'none')).toBe(variables.gt);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{amp}}', variables, 'none')).toBe(variables.amp);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{nl}}', variables, 'none')).toBe(variables.nl);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{dq}}', variables, 'none')).toBe(variables.dq);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{bt}}', variables, 'none')).toBe(variables.bt);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{bs}}', variables, 'none')).toBe(variables.bs);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{st}}', variables, 'none')).toBe(variables.st);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{ul}}', variables, 'none')).toBe(variables.ul);
+    });
+
+    it('handles escape:markdown with commonly escaped strings', () => {
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{lt}}', variables, 'markdown')).toBe(variables.lt);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{gt}}', variables, 'markdown')).toBe(variables.gt);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{amp}}', variables, 'markdown')).toBe(variables.amp);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{nl}}', variables, 'markdown')).toBe(variables.nl);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{dq}}', variables, 'markdown')).toBe(variables.dq);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{bt}}', variables, 'markdown')).toBe('\\' + variables.bt);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{bs}}', variables, 'markdown')).toBe('\\' + variables.bs);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{st}}', variables, 'markdown')).toBe('\\' + variables.st);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{ul}}', variables, 'markdown')).toBe('\\' + variables.ul);
+    });
+
+    it('handles triple escapes', () => {
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{{bt}}}', variables, 'markdown')).toBe(variables.bt);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{{bs}}}', variables, 'markdown')).toBe(variables.bs);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{{st}}}', variables, 'markdown')).toBe(variables.st);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{{ul}}}', variables, 'markdown')).toBe(variables.ul);
+    });
+
+    it('handles escape:slack with commonly escaped strings', () => {
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{lt}}', variables, 'slack')).toBe('&lt;');
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{gt}}', variables, 'slack')).toBe('&gt;');
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{amp}}', variables, 'slack')).toBe('&amp;');
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{nl}}', variables, 'slack')).toBe(variables.nl);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{dq}}', variables, 'slack')).toBe(variables.dq);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{bt}}', variables, 'slack')).toBe(`'`);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{bs}}', variables, 'slack')).toBe(variables.bs);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{st}}', variables, 'slack')).toBe('`*`');
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{ul}}', variables, 'slack')).toBe('`_`');
+      // html escapes not needed when using backtic escaping
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{st_lt}}', variables, 'slack')).toBe('`*<`');
+    });
+
+    it('handles escape:json with commonly escaped strings', () => {
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{lt}}', variables, 'json')).toBe(variables.lt);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{gt}}', variables, 'json')).toBe(variables.gt);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{amp}}', variables, 'json')).toBe(variables.amp);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{nl}}', variables, 'json')).toBe('\\n');
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{dq}}', variables, 'json')).toBe('\\"');
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{bt}}', variables, 'json')).toBe(variables.bt);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{bs}}', variables, 'json')).toBe('\\\\');
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{st}}', variables, 'json')).toBe(variables.st);
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{ul}}', variables, 'json')).toBe(variables.ul);
+    });
+
+    it('handles errors', () => {
+      expect(renderMustacheString('{{a}', variables, 'none')).toMatchInlineSnapshot(
+        `"error rendering mustache template \\"{{a}\\": Unclosed tag at 4"`
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
+  const object = {
+    literal: 0,
+    literals: {
+      a: 1,
+      b: '2',
+      c: true,
+      d: null,
+      e: undefined,
+      eval: '{{lt}}{{b}}{{gt}}',
+    },
+    list: ['{{a}}', '{{bt}}{{st}}{{bt}}'],
+    object: {
+      a: ['{{a}}', '{{bt}}{{st}}{{bt}}'],
+    },
+  };
+
+  describe('renderMustacheObject()', () => {
+    it('handles deep objects', () => {
+      expect(renderMustacheObject(object, variables)).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+        Object {
+          "list": Array [
+            "1",
+            "\`*\`",
+          ],
+          "literal": 0,
+          "literals": Object {
+            "a": 1,
+            "b": "2",
+            "c": true,
+            "d": null,
+            "e": undefined,
+            "eval": "<2>",
+          },
+          "object": Object {
+            "a": Array [
+              "1",
+              "\`*\`",
+            ],
+          },
+        }
+      `);
+    });
+
+    it('handles primitive objects', () => {
+      expect(renderMustacheObject(undefined, variables)).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`undefined`);
+      expect(renderMustacheObject(null, variables)).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`null`);
+      expect(renderMustacheObject(0, variables)).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`0`);
+      expect(renderMustacheObject(true, variables)).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`true`);
+      expect(renderMustacheObject('{{a}}', variables)).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`"1"`);
+      expect(renderMustacheObject(['{{a}}'], variables)).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+        Array [
+          "1",
+        ]
+      `);
+    });
+
+    it('handles errors', () => {
+      expect(renderMustacheObject({ a: '{{a}' }, variables)).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+        Object {
+          "a": "error rendering mustache template \\"{{a}\\": Unclosed tag at 4",
+        }
+      `);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('augmented object variables', () => {
+    const deepVariables = {
+      a: 1,
+      b: { c: 2, d: [3, 4] },
+      e: [5, { f: 6, g: 7 }],
+    };
+    expect(renderMustacheObject({ x: '{{a}} - {{b}} -- {{e}} ' }, deepVariables))
+      .toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      Object {
+        "x": "1 - {\\"c\\":2,\\"d\\":[3,4]} -- 5,{\\"f\\":6,\\"g\\":7} ",
+      }
+    `);
+
+    const expected = '1 - {"c":2,"d":[3,4]} -- 5,{"f":6,"g":7}';
+    expect(renderMustacheString('{{a}} - {{b}} -- {{e}}', deepVariables, 'none')).toEqual(expected);
+  });
+});