[BUG]: passing a password with a "&" break --unattended install

[JJKW1984]

What happened?

When creating a unattended install script we are unable to pass any password with a "&" starting it.

.\config.cmd --unattended --agent 'agent1' --pool 'build pool' --url 'https://dev.azure.com/testorg' --auth 'PAT' --token 'token' --runAsService --windowsLogonAccount 'US\ADO' --windowsLogonPassword '$password'

We have tried escaping the password and passing it in as a variable but the command misinterpreted as two commands.

Versions

Windows 2022 / 3.328.0

Environment type (Please select at least one enviroment where you face this issue)

• Self-Hosted
• Microsoft Hosted
• VMSS Pool
• Container

Azure DevOps Server type

dev.azure.com (formerly visualstudio.com)

Azure DevOps Server Version (if applicable)

No response

Operation system

No response

Version controll system

No response

Relevant log output

[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Agent package win-x64.
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Running on Windows (X64).
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] RuntimeInformation: Microsoft Windows 10.0.19045.
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Version: 3.238.0
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Commit: da4a9e997b7f4c8939ef934a21070524b5ec664c
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Culture: en-US
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] UI Culture: en-US
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Bin': 'C:\agent\bin'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Root': 'C:\agent'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Validating directory permissions for: 'C:\agent'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO PowerShellExeUtil] Generation: '1'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO PowerShellExeUtil] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PowerShell\1\PowerShellEngine', value name 'PowerShellVersion' is null.
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO PowerShellExeUtil] Unable to determine the Powershell engine version.  Possibly Powershell is not installed.
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO PowerShellExeUtil] Generation: '3'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO PowerShellExeUtil] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PowerShell\3\PowerShellEngine', value name 'PowerShellVersion': '5.1.19041.1'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO PowerShellExeUtil] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PowerShell\3\PowerShellEngine', value name 'ApplicationBase': 'C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\.NETFramework', value name 'InstallRoot': 'C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP' contains sub keys:
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess]  'CDF'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess]  'v4'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess]  'v4.0'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4', value name 'Version' is null.
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4', value name '' is null.
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4' contains sub keys:
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess]  'Client'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess]  'Full'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Client', value name 'Version': '4.8.04084'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Client', value name 'Install': '1'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Client', value name 'InstallPath': 'C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Client', value name 'Release': '528372'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Type is System.Int32
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Interpreted version: 4.7.0
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full', value name 'Version': '4.8.04084'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full', value name 'Install': '1'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full', value name 'InstallPath': 'C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full', value name 'Release': '528372'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Type is System.Int32
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Interpreted version: 4.7.0
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4.0', value name 'Version' is null.
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Key name 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4.0', value name '': 'deprecated'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Found 2 versions:
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess]  4.7.0
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess]  4.7.0
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Testing for min NET Framework version: '4.5'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Bin': 'C:\agent\bin'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Root': 'C:\agent'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentProcess] Arguments parsed
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z ERR  Terminal] WRITE ERROR: An error occurred: MissingValueOptionError
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z ERR  Terminal] WRITE ERROR: Unrecognized command-line input arguments: ''. For usage refer to: .\config.cmd --help or ./config.sh --help
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Bin': 'C:\agent\bin'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Root': 'C:\agent'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known config file 'Proxy': 'C:\agent\.proxy'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO VstsAgentWebProxy] No proxy setting found.
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Bin': 'C:\agent\bin'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Root': 'C:\agent'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known config file 'Certificates': 'C:\agent\.certificates'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO AgentCertificateManager] No certificate setting found.
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO Agent] ExecuteCommand
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO ConfigurationStore] currentAssemblyLocation: C:\agent\bin\Agent.Listener.dll
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Bin': 'C:\agent\bin'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO ConfigurationStore] binPath: C:\agent\bin
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Bin': 'C:\agent\bin'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Root': 'C:\agent'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO ConfigurationStore] RootFolder: C:\agent
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Bin': 'C:\agent\bin'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Root': 'C:\agent'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known config file 'Agent': 'C:\agent\.agent'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO ConfigurationStore] ConfigFilePath: C:\agent\.agent
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Bin': 'C:\agent\bin'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Root': 'C:\agent'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known config file 'Credentials': 'C:\agent\.credentials'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO ConfigurationStore] CredFilePath: C:\agent\.credentials
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Bin': 'C:\agent\bin'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Root': 'C:\agent'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known config file 'Service': 'C:\agent\.service'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO ConfigurationStore] ServiceConfigFilePath: C:\agent\.service
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Bin': 'C:\agent\bin'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Root': 'C:\agent'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known config file 'Autologon': 'C:\agent\.autologon'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO ConfigurationStore] AutoLogonSettingsFilePath: C:\agent\.autologon
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Bin': 'C:\agent\bin'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Root': 'C:\agent'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known config file 'Options': 'C:\agent\.options'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO ConfigurationStore] RuntimeOptionsFilePath: C:\agent\.options
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Bin': 'C:\agent\bin'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known directory 'Root': 'C:\agent'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO HostContext] Well known config file 'SetupInfo': 'C:\agent\.setup_info'
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO ConfigurationStore] SetupInfoFilePath: C:\agent\.setup_info
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO ConfigurationManager] LoadSettings
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO ConfigurationStore] IsConfigured()
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO ConfigurationStore] IsConfigured: False
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z INFO ConfigurationManager] Is configured: False
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z ERR  Terminal] WRITE ERROR: An error occurred: Not configured
[2024-05-07 16:10:30Z ERR  AgentProcess] System.InvalidOperationException: Not configured
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Services.Agent.Listener.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.LoadSettings() in D:\a\_work\1\s\src\Agent.Listener\Configuration\ConfigurationManager.cs:line 68
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Services.Agent.Listener.Agent.ExecuteCommand(CommandSettings command) in D:\a\_work\1\s\src\Agent.Listener\Agent.cs:line 175
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Services.Agent.Listener.Program.MainAsync(IHostContext context, String[] args) in D:\a\_work\1\s\src\Agent.Listener\Program.cs:line 163

[ivanduplenskikh]

Hi @JJKW1984 thanks for reporting! We are working on more prioritized issues at the moment, but will get back to this one soon.

[itsme112358]

This is not just & character, this happens with lots of special characters. The way config.cmd passes the password is "not very good".
The only safe characters we found so far are _ and -.
Now there seems to be another issue with passing parameters in general, we also pass tags. The following example results

.\config.cmd --unattended --url https://dev.azure.com/AareonRelionGmbH --auth pat --token xxx --projectName "xxx" --agent "xxx" --windowsLog
onAccount "xxx" --windowsLogonPassword 'xxx' --runAsService --deploymentGroup --deploymentGroupName "xxx" --addDeploymentGroupTags --deploymentGroupTags 'Serverinstance, Secondary, Production, Host'

Results in a registered Agent (in Azure DevOps) with only one tag 'Serverinstance - mind the leading tick. The remaining tags are ignored.
I'm disappointed that basic stuff like passing parameters isn't handled correctly - that's really, really, really stuff you should know how to do as a developer.
And now using the same script which was working ~4 weeks ago, the agent service cannot be registered with the error Invalid windows credentials entered..
So at the very least please stop breaking stuff and/or document how we are supposed to pass params correctly.

[ChristopherHX]

the config.cmd is pretty old https://github.com/microsoft/azure-pipelines-agent/blob/master/src/Misc/layoutroot/config.cmd (ca. 5 years not touched)
I don't think someone here broke any stuff here that worked 1 year ago, maybe your script parameter did change and you run into this or the account has password has changed

I usually call the exe directly .\bin\Agent.Listener.exe configure instead of .\config.cmd that could save headache trying to deal with the wrapper script as someone not involved into this application

[github-actions]

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