fix(CLI-45): standardize the CLI credential env var and fail fast on empty passwords

All five client CLIs now share one credential contract for `authenticate-user`:
flags `--password` / `--password-env` (Go: `-password` / `-password-env`) with
default env `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD`, resolution flag-then-env, and a resolved
credential that is missing *or empty* is a usage error naming the flag and the
variable. The value is never echoed and never reaches the wire.

Go and Java previously sent an empty credential when the variable was unset,
turning a misconfigured environment into a real MXAccess authentication attempt.
Go now returns the guard error before dialing; Java throws a picocli
ParameterException instead of falling back to "". Python's `--password-env`
gained the canonical default and its UsageError names the resolved variable.
Rust treats an empty flag or env value as missing, with the resolution extracted
into a testable `resolve_verify_user_password`. .NET adopts the canonical flags
and keeps `--verify-user-password`, `--verify-user-password-env`, and
MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD as deprecated aliases for one release.

Docs same commit: CrossLanguageSmokeMatrix.md gains the credential contract and
the per-CLI subcommand-coverage table (the documented-not-fixed half of the
finding); all five READMEs name the canonical variable and the fail-fast rule,
and the .NET README carries the deprecation note. Tracking flipped to Done in
both remediation registers with a change-log row.

No .proto changed; no generated code regenerated.

archreview/2026-07-12/remediation/00-tracking.md

@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ Full design + implementation for each row lives in the linked domain doc under i
 | CLI-42 | Low | P1 | S | — | Not started | Document the vendored Rust proto layout (CLI-02's missing doc half) |
 | CLI-43 | Low | — | S | — | Not started | Java style guide still prescribes "Java 21 preferred" |
 | CLI-44 | Low | — | S | — | Not started | Go event goroutine can mislabel a genuine terminal error as `ErrSlowConsumer` |
-| CLI-45 | Low | P1 | M | — | Not started | Standardize CLI credential env-var names; fail fast on missing/empty passwords |
+| CLI-45 | Low | P1 | M | — | Done | Standardize CLI credential env-var names; fail fast on missing/empty passwords |
 
 ### Testing, docs & gaps — [60-testing-docs-gaps.md](60-testing-docs-gaps.md)
 
@@ -164,3 +164,4 @@ Sequence these together rather than piecemeal — several are one change set spa
 | 2026-08-07 | **TST-29 → `Done`:** migrated the Phase-5 (orphan-worker reattach) deferred-not-planned governance record and the settled Phase-4 Viewer-default decision from `oldtasks.md` into a new "Session-Resilience Epic Scope" entry in `docs/DesignDecisions.md`; repointed CLAUDE.md and `stillpending.md:7,165` from `oldtasks.md` to `docs/DesignDecisions.md` / `docs/plans/2026-06-15-session-resilience.md.tasks.json`; `git rm oldtasks.md`. The five untracked root docs-review artifacts (`MxAccessGateway-docs-{issues,fixed,final}.md`, `MxGatewayClient-docs-{issues,fixed}.md`) were absent from this worktree — delete from the main working tree separately. |
 | 2026-08-07 | **GWC-24 → `Done`** (branch `fix/gwc-24-staging-bound`). `WorkerClient._eventStaging` is now `Channel.CreateBounded` at `2 × EventChannelCapacity` (`Wait`, single reader/writer, no sync continuations); a rejected staging `TryWrite` faults the client `ProtocolViolation` with `QueueOverflow("worker-event-staging")` unless `IsTerminalState()` (shutdown stays a silent drop), so a consumer draining slower than its worker produces dies at a fixed ceiling instead of growing gateway memory. Queue-depth accounting moved from `EnqueueWorkerEventAsync` to `StageWorkerEvent`, so the single gauge reports staged + queued; the timed-write fault (`EventChannelFullModeTimeout` / `QueueOverflow("worker-events")`) is unchanged and still catches the full-stall case first. No new config key — total gateway-side buffering is `3 × MxGateway:Events:QueueCapacity`, derived; coordination with still-open old **GWC-21** (`EventChannelFullModeTimeout` configurability) remains open and was not blocked on. Docs same commit: `GatewayProcessDesign.md` (two overflow faults), `MxAccessWorkerInstanceDesign.md`, `GatewayConfiguration.md`, `Metrics.md`. Tests: `WorkerClientTests.StagingChannelOverflowFaultsWorkerWithoutWaitingForFullModeTimeout` and `.WorkerEventQueueDepthGaugeCountsStagedEvents`; `WorkerClientTests` 22/22 green, `NonWindows.slnx` builds with 0 warnings. |
 | 2026-08-07 | **ReplayGap end-to-end cluster (GWC-25 + CLI-35 + CLI-36) → `Done`** on `fix/gwc-25-replaygap-trio`. GWC-25: `SessionEventDistributor.RegisterWithReplay`'s empty-ring branch now reports `oldestAvailableSequence = _highestSequenceSeen + 1` when `gap == true` (still `0` when no gap), so the universal `oldest - 1` resume formula no longer wraps to `ulong.MaxValue` and dead-stream the subscriber; `docs/Sessions.md` documents the empty-ring value. CLI-35: the Python CLI renders a `ReplayGap` as a `{"replayGap": {...}}` row via a new `_event_row` helper instead of crashing in `MessageToDict`. CLI-36: the Go CLI branches on `result.IsReplayGap()` and prints the typed `REPLAY_GAP requested_after=<n> oldest_available=<n>` line / `replayGap` JSON row instead of formatting the library's cleared `Event`. `docs/CrossLanguageSmokeMatrix.md` gained a per-CLI gap-rendering table (one edit covering both client findings). Four new tests as designed (3 × `SessionEventDistributorTests`, `GatewayEndToEndReconnectReplayTests.ReconnectAfterFullAgeEvictionResumesWithSentinelFormula`) plus `test_stream_events_renders_replay_gap` (Python) and `TestRunStreamEventsPrintsReplayGap` (Go); all written red first and each reproducing its defect verbatim. **Deferred:** GWC-25's `ReplayGap.oldest_available_sequence` proto-comment amendment is **not** in this change — it is comment-only but triggers the full five-client regen fan-out, so it lands with the later codegen wave (alongside IPC-23's proto-comment edits) rather than forcing a regen for one sentence. Note for that wave: the fake-worker gateway e2e suite cannot run on the macOS worktree without `TMPDIR` shortened (macOS caps the Unix-domain-socket path backing .NET named pipes at 104 chars; `TMPDIR=/tmp dotnet test …` works and was used here). |
+| 2026-08-07 | **CLI-45 → `Done`** on `fix/cli-45-credential-envvar`. All five CLIs now share one credential contract for `authenticate-user`: flags `--password` / `--password-env` (Go: `-password` / `-password-env`) defaulting to env `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD`, resolution flag-then-env, and a resolved credential that is missing **or empty** is a usage error naming the flag and the variable — never the value, never sent to the wire. Go and Java previously authenticated with an empty password: Go now returns the guard error before dialing, Java throws a picocli `ParameterException` instead of falling back to `""`. Python's `--password-env` gained the canonical default (its `UsageError` was already conformant) and its message now names the resolved variable. Rust treats an empty `--password` or empty env value as missing (resolution extracted into a testable `resolve_verify_user_password`). .NET adopted the canonical flags and keeps its pre-existing names as **deprecated aliases for one release** — order: `--password`, `--verify-user-password`, the variable named by `--password-env` (or the deprecated `--verify-user-password-env`; default `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD`), then `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD`. Tests: `TestRunAuthenticateUser{RejectsEmptyPassword,ReadsPasswordFromCanonicalEnv}` (Go), 3 picocli cases (Java), 3 click cases (Python), 2 clap/resolver cases (Rust), 4 xUnit cases covering the canonical flag, both env-name paths, the deprecated flag+env aliases, and the missing/empty failure (.NET). Docs same commit: `docs/CrossLanguageSmokeMatrix.md` gained a "Credential contract for `authenticate-user`" section **and** the per-CLI subcommand-coverage table — the half of this finding that is documented rather than fixed (.NET exposes all nine single-item session commands; Rust `unregister` + the credential pair; Go/Python/Java the credential pair only; verified against each dispatch table, and every gap is CLI surface only since all five *libraries* implement all nine helpers). All five client READMEs name the canonical variable and the fail-fast rule; the .NET README gained an `authenticate-user` credentials section carrying the deprecation note. **Deviation:** Java keeps `isBlank()` (per this design's "null or blank" wording for Java) where the other four test emptiness, so a whitespace-only credential is additionally rejected there. Verification (all five, on macOS): Go `gofmt -l .` clean, `go build ./...` clean, `go test ./...` ok; Java `JAVA_HOME=/opt/homebrew/opt/openjdk@17 gradle test` BUILD SUCCESSFUL, CLI suite 51 tests / 0 failures — **no generated-tree churn appeared this run**, `git status` for `clients/java/**/generated` clean with no revert needed (no `.proto` changed); Python `python -m pytest` 148 passed / 1 skipped (TLS opt-in); .NET `dotnet build …Client.slnx` 0 warnings / 0 errors and client tests 108 passed / 1 skipped (live-gateway opt-in); Rust `cargo fmt` (diff confined to the new code), `cargo check --workspace`, `cargo test --workspace` 100 tests across 6 targets all green, `cargo clippy --all-targets -- -D warnings` clean. |

archreview/2026-07-12/remediation/50-clients.md

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ Operating constraints carried from prior work:
 | CLI-42 | Low | P1 | S | — | Not started | Document the vendored Rust proto layout (CLI-02's missing doc half) |
 | CLI-43 | Low | — | S | — | Not started | Java style guide still prescribes "Java 21 preferred" |
 | CLI-44 | Low | — | S | — | Not started | Go event goroutine can mislabel a genuine terminal error as `ErrSlowConsumer` |
-| CLI-45 | Low | P1 | M | — | Not started | Standardize CLI credential env-var name and fail fast on missing/empty passwords |
+| CLI-45 | Low | P1 | M | — | Done | Standardize CLI credential env-var name and fail fast on missing/empty passwords |
 
 Cross-domain dependencies: **CLI-35/CLI-36 pair with GWC-25** (gateway emits `oldest_available_sequence = 0` on an empty replay ring — the server-side half of the same reconnect story; the CLI fixes here are independently landable but the end-to-end resume walk in the smoke matrix needs both). **CLI-39 pairs with the publishing process** (`scripts/pack-clients.ps1`, `scripts/tag-go-module.ps1`, Gitea package registry).
 

clients/dotnet/README.md

@@ -258,6 +258,32 @@ optionally writes a value when `--type` and `--value` are supplied, reads a
 bounded event stream, and closes the session in a `finally` block. CLI error
 output redacts API keys supplied through `--api-key`.
 
+### `authenticate-user` credentials
+
+```powershell
+$env:MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD = "<verify-user password>"
+dotnet run --project clients/dotnet/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Client.Cli -- authenticate-user --session-id <id> --server-handle 1 --verify-user operator --json
+```
+
+The credential comes from `--password` or, preferably, the environment variable
+named by `--password-env` (default `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD`) so it stays out
+of shell history and the process table. It is never echoed to stdout or stderr,
+and error output routes it through the same redaction seam as the API key. A
+missing or empty resolved credential is a usage error naming the option and the
+variable: the CLI fails before the invoke rather than authenticating with an
+empty password.
+
+`MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD` is the canonical variable across all five client CLIs
+— see [Cross-Language Smoke Matrix](../../docs/CrossLanguageSmokeMatrix.md).
+
+**Deprecated names.** This CLI previously used `--verify-user-password`,
+`--verify-user-password-env`, and `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD`. All three
+still resolve, for one release only, so existing scripts keep working; migrate to
+the canonical names above. The full resolution order is `--password`,
+`--verify-user-password`, the variable named by `--password-env` (or the
+deprecated `--verify-user-password-env`, default `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD`),
+then `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD`.
+
 ## Galaxy Repository Browse
 
 `GalaxyRepositoryClient` is a separate read-only wrapper around the

clients/dotnet/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Client.Cli/MxGatewayClientCli.cs

@@ -346,31 +346,78 @@ public static class MxGatewayClientCli
     }
 
     /// <summary>
-    ///     Resolves the effective MXAccess verify-user credential from
+    ///     Canonical CLI credential environment variable, shared by every official
-    ///     <c>--verify-user-password</c> or, failing that, the
+    ///     client CLI (CLI-45) so one exported variable drives the same operator
-    ///     <c>--verify-user-password-env</c>-named environment variable (default
+    ///     workflow in all five languages.
-    ///     <c>MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD</c>). The credential is never echoed;
+    /// </summary>
-    ///     this resolver exists so the error-redaction catch block can strip it
+    private const string DefaultVerifyPasswordEnvironmentName = "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD";
-    ///     from any surfaced error (CLI-04), mirroring <see cref="TryResolveApiKey"/>.
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Pre-CLI-45 environment variable, still honoured as a deprecated fallback
+    ///     for one release so existing scripts keep working.
+    /// </summary>
+    private const string LegacyVerifyPasswordEnvironmentName = "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD";
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Resolves the name of the environment variable holding the verify-user
+    ///     credential: <c>--password-env</c>, then the deprecated
+    ///     <c>--verify-user-password-env</c> alias, then
+    ///     <c>MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD</c>.
+    /// </summary>
+    private static string ResolveVerifyPasswordEnvironmentName(CliArguments arguments)
+    {
+        string? environmentName = arguments.GetOptional("password-env");
+        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(environmentName))
+        {
+            return environmentName;
+        }
+
+        environmentName = arguments.GetOptional("verify-user-password-env");
+        return string.IsNullOrEmpty(environmentName)
+            ? DefaultVerifyPasswordEnvironmentName
+            : environmentName;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Resolves the effective MXAccess verify-user credential in the CLI-45
+    ///     order: <c>--password</c>, the deprecated <c>--verify-user-password</c>
+    ///     alias, the environment variable named by <c>--password-env</c> (default
+    ///     <c>MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD</c>), then the deprecated
+    ///     <c>MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD</c>. An empty value from any source is
+    ///     treated as absent. The credential is never echoed; this resolver exists so
+    ///     the error-redaction catch block can strip it from any surfaced error
+    ///     (CLI-04), mirroring <see cref="TryResolveApiKey" />.
     /// </summary>
     private static string? TryResolveVerifyUserPassword(CliArguments arguments)
     {
-        string? password = arguments.GetOptional("verify-user-password");
+        string? password = arguments.GetOptional("password");
         if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(password))
         {
             return password;
         }
 
-        string passwordEnvironmentName = arguments.GetOptional("verify-user-password-env")
+        password = arguments.GetOptional("verify-user-password");
-            ?? "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD";
+        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(password))
+        {
+            return password;
+        }
 
-        return Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(passwordEnvironmentName);
+        password = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(ResolveVerifyPasswordEnvironmentName(arguments));
+        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(password))
+        {
+            return password;
+        }
+
+        password = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(LegacyVerifyPasswordEnvironmentName);
+        return string.IsNullOrEmpty(password) ? null : password;
     }
 
     /// <summary>
     ///     Resolves the verify-user credential for <c>authenticate-user</c>, throwing
-    ///     a redaction-safe error when neither the flag nor the env var is set. The
+    ///     a redaction-safe error when no source yields a non-empty value. Failing
-    ///     thrown message names only the option/env var, never the value.
+    ///     fast keeps a misconfigured environment from becoming a real MXAccess
+    ///     authentication attempt with an empty credential (CLI-45); the thrown
+    ///     message names only the option/env var, never the value.
     /// </summary>
     private static string ResolveVerifyUserPassword(CliArguments arguments)
     {
@@ -380,11 +427,10 @@ public static class MxGatewayClientCli
             return password;
         }
 
-        string passwordEnvironmentName = arguments.GetOptional("verify-user-password-env")
-            ?? "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD";
-
         throw new ArgumentException(
-            $"Verify-user password is required. Pass --verify-user-password or set {passwordEnvironmentName}.");
+            "Verify-user password is required. Pass --password or set "
+            + $"{ResolveVerifyPasswordEnvironmentName(arguments)} (deprecated aliases: "
+            + $"--verify-user-password, --verify-user-password-env, {LegacyVerifyPasswordEnvironmentName}).");
     }
 
     private static CancellationTokenSource CreateCancellation(CliArguments arguments, string command)
@@ -710,8 +756,10 @@ public static class MxGatewayClientCli
         TextWriter output,
         CancellationToken cancellationToken)
     {
-        // The credential is resolved from --verify-user-password or its env var and
+        // The credential is resolved from --password or its env var (default
-        // is never echoed. On any surfaced error the RunCoreAsync catch block routes
+        // MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD) and is never echoed; a missing or empty value
+        // fails fast before the invoke rather than reaching the wire (CLI-45).
+        // On any surfaced error the RunCoreAsync catch block routes
         // it through MxGatewayCliSecretRedactor so it cannot reach stderr (CLI-04).
         return InvokeAndWriteAsync(
             arguments,
@@ -2372,7 +2420,9 @@ public static class MxGatewayClientCli
         writer.WriteLine("mxgw-dotnet activate --session-id <id> --server-handle <n> --item-handle <n> [--json]");
         writer.WriteLine("mxgw-dotnet write-secured --session-id <id> --server-handle <n> --item-handle <n> --type <type> --value <value> --current-user-id <n> [--verifier-user-id <n>] [--json]");
         writer.WriteLine("mxgw-dotnet write-secured2 --session-id <id> --server-handle <n> --item-handle <n> --type <type> --value <value> --current-user-id <n> [--verifier-user-id <n>] [--timestamp <iso>] [--json]");
-        writer.WriteLine("mxgw-dotnet authenticate-user --session-id <id> --server-handle <n> --verify-user <user> (--verify-user-password <pw> | --verify-user-password-env <ENVVAR>) [--json]");
+        writer.WriteLine("mxgw-dotnet authenticate-user --session-id <id> --server-handle <n> --verify-user <user> [--password <pw>] [--password-env <ENVVAR>] [--json]");
+        writer.WriteLine("  credential: --password, else the --password-env variable (default MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD); required and never empty.");
+        writer.WriteLine("  deprecated aliases: --verify-user-password, --verify-user-password-env, MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD.");
         writer.WriteLine("mxgw-dotnet archestra-user-to-id --session-id <id> --server-handle <n> --user-guid <guid> [--json]");
         writer.WriteLine("mxgw-dotnet subscribe-bulk --session-id <id> --server-handle <n> --items <ref,ref> [--json]");
         writer.WriteLine("mxgw-dotnet unsubscribe-bulk --session-id <id> --server-handle <n> --item-handles <n,n> [--json]");

clients/dotnet/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Client.Tests/MxGatewayClientCliTests.cs

@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ public sealed class MxGatewayClientCliTests
                 "--session-id", "session-fixture",
                 "--server-handle", "12",
                 "--verify-user", "operator",
-                "--verify-user-password", password,
+                "--password", password,
             ],
             output,
             error,
@@ -246,6 +246,235 @@ public sealed class MxGatewayClientCliTests
         Assert.Contains("[redacted]", error.ToString());
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// CLI-45: <c>--password</c> is the primary credential flag, matching the other
+    /// four CLIs. The credential reaches the wire but never stdout/stderr.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task RunAsync_AuthenticateUser_AcceptsCanonicalPasswordFlag()
+    {
+        const string password = "canonical-flag-credential";
+        using var output = new StringWriter();
+        using var error = new StringWriter();
+        FakeCliClient fakeClient = new();
+        fakeClient.InvokeReplies.Enqueue(new MxCommandReply
+        {
+            SessionId = "session-fixture",
+            Kind = MxCommandKind.AuthenticateUser,
+            ProtocolStatus = new ProtocolStatus { Code = ProtocolStatusCode.Ok },
+            AuthenticateUser = new AuthenticateUserReply { UserId = 11 },
+        });
+
+        int exitCode = await MxGatewayClientCli.RunAsync(
+            [
+                "authenticate-user",
+                "--endpoint", "http://localhost:5000",
+                "--api-key", "test-api-key",
+                "--session-id", "session-fixture",
+                "--server-handle", "12",
+                "--verify-user", "operator",
+                "--password", password,
+                "--json",
+            ],
+            output,
+            error,
+            _ => fakeClient);
+
+        Assert.Equal(0, exitCode);
+        MxCommandRequest request = Assert.Single(fakeClient.InvokeRequests);
+        Assert.Equal(password, request.Command.AuthenticateUser.VerifyUserPassword);
+        Assert.DoesNotContain(password, output.ToString(), StringComparison.Ordinal);
+        Assert.DoesNotContain(password, error.ToString(), StringComparison.Ordinal);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// CLI-45: the credential is read from the environment variable named by
+    /// <c>--password-env</c>, whose default is the canonical
+    /// <c>MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD</c> shared by all five CLIs.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
+    [Theory]
+    [InlineData(null, "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD")]
+    [InlineData("MXGW_TEST_CLI45_ENV", "MXGW_TEST_CLI45_ENV")]
+    public async Task RunAsync_AuthenticateUser_ReadsCredentialFromNamedEnvironmentVariable(
+        string? passwordEnvArgument,
+        string environmentName)
+    {
+        const string password = "env-sourced-credential";
+        using EnvironmentVariableScope scope = new(environmentName, password);
+        using var output = new StringWriter();
+        using var error = new StringWriter();
+        FakeCliClient fakeClient = new();
+        fakeClient.InvokeReplies.Enqueue(new MxCommandReply
+        {
+            SessionId = "session-fixture",
+            Kind = MxCommandKind.AuthenticateUser,
+            ProtocolStatus = new ProtocolStatus { Code = ProtocolStatusCode.Ok },
+            AuthenticateUser = new AuthenticateUserReply { UserId = 12 },
+        });
+
+        List<string> args =
+        [
+            "authenticate-user",
+            "--endpoint", "http://localhost:5000",
+            "--api-key", "test-api-key",
+            "--session-id", "session-fixture",
+            "--server-handle", "12",
+            "--verify-user", "operator",
+            "--json",
+        ];
+        if (passwordEnvArgument is not null)
+        {
+            args.Add("--password-env");
+            args.Add(passwordEnvArgument);
+        }
+
+        int exitCode = await MxGatewayClientCli.RunAsync([.. args], output, error, _ => fakeClient);
+
+        Assert.Equal(0, exitCode);
+        MxCommandRequest request = Assert.Single(fakeClient.InvokeRequests);
+        Assert.Equal(password, request.Command.AuthenticateUser.VerifyUserPassword);
+        Assert.DoesNotContain(password, output.ToString(), StringComparison.Ordinal);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// CLI-45: the pre-rename names stay usable for one release — the deprecated
+    /// <c>--verify-user-password</c> flag and the deprecated
+    /// <c>MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD</c> environment variable both still resolve.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task RunAsync_AuthenticateUser_HonoursDeprecatedAliases()
+    {
+        using var flagOutput = new StringWriter();
+        using var flagError = new StringWriter();
+        FakeCliClient flagClient = new();
+        flagClient.InvokeReplies.Enqueue(new MxCommandReply
+        {
+            SessionId = "session-fixture",
+            Kind = MxCommandKind.AuthenticateUser,
+            ProtocolStatus = new ProtocolStatus { Code = ProtocolStatusCode.Ok },
+            AuthenticateUser = new AuthenticateUserReply { UserId = 13 },
+        });
+
+        int flagExitCode = await MxGatewayClientCli.RunAsync(
+            [
+                "authenticate-user",
+                "--endpoint", "http://localhost:5000",
+                "--api-key", "test-api-key",
+                "--session-id", "session-fixture",
+                "--server-handle", "12",
+                "--verify-user", "operator",
+                "--verify-user-password", "legacy-flag-credential",
+                "--json",
+            ],
+            flagOutput,
+            flagError,
+            _ => flagClient);
+
+        Assert.Equal(0, flagExitCode);
+        Assert.Equal(
+            "legacy-flag-credential",
+            Assert.Single(flagClient.InvokeRequests).Command.AuthenticateUser.VerifyUserPassword);
+
+        using EnvironmentVariableScope canonical = new("MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD", null);
+        using EnvironmentVariableScope legacy = new("MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD", "legacy-env-credential");
+        using var envOutput = new StringWriter();
+        using var envError = new StringWriter();
+        FakeCliClient envClient = new();
+        envClient.InvokeReplies.Enqueue(new MxCommandReply
+        {
+            SessionId = "session-fixture",
+            Kind = MxCommandKind.AuthenticateUser,
+            ProtocolStatus = new ProtocolStatus { Code = ProtocolStatusCode.Ok },
+            AuthenticateUser = new AuthenticateUserReply { UserId = 14 },
+        });
+
+        int envExitCode = await MxGatewayClientCli.RunAsync(
+            [
+                "authenticate-user",
+                "--endpoint", "http://localhost:5000",
+                "--api-key", "test-api-key",
+                "--session-id", "session-fixture",
+                "--server-handle", "12",
+                "--verify-user", "operator",
+                "--json",
+            ],
+            envOutput,
+            envError,
+            _ => envClient);
+
+        Assert.Equal(0, envExitCode);
+        Assert.Equal(
+            "legacy-env-credential",
+            Assert.Single(envClient.InvokeRequests).Command.AuthenticateUser.VerifyUserPassword);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// CLI-45: a missing or empty credential fails fast before the invoke — the CLI
+    /// never sends a fabricated empty password to the wire. The error names the flag
+    /// and the environment variable, never a value.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="explicitEmptyFlag">Whether to pass an explicit empty --password.</param>
+    /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
+    [Theory]
+    [InlineData(false)]
+    [InlineData(true)]
+    public async Task RunAsync_AuthenticateUser_FailsFastOnMissingOrEmptyCredential(bool explicitEmptyFlag)
+    {
+        using EnvironmentVariableScope canonical = new("MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD", explicitEmptyFlag ? string.Empty : null);
+        using EnvironmentVariableScope legacy = new("MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD", null);
+        using var output = new StringWriter();
+        using var error = new StringWriter();
+        FakeCliClient fakeClient = new();
+
+        List<string> args =
+        [
+            "authenticate-user",
+            "--endpoint", "http://localhost:5000",
+            "--api-key", "test-api-key",
+            "--session-id", "session-fixture",
+            "--server-handle", "12",
+            "--verify-user", "operator",
+        ];
+        if (explicitEmptyFlag)
+        {
+            args.Add("--password");
+            args.Add(string.Empty);
+        }
+
+        int exitCode = await MxGatewayClientCli.RunAsync([.. args], output, error, _ => fakeClient);
+
+        Assert.Equal(1, exitCode);
+        Assert.Empty(fakeClient.InvokeRequests);
+        Assert.Contains("--password", error.ToString(), StringComparison.Ordinal);
+        Assert.Contains("MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD", error.ToString(), StringComparison.Ordinal);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Sets an environment variable for the duration of a test and restores the
+    ///     previous value on dispose, so credential-resolution tests do not depend on
+    ///     (or leak into) the ambient environment.
+    /// </summary>
+    private sealed class EnvironmentVariableScope : IDisposable
+    {
+        private readonly string _name;
+        private readonly string? _original;
+
+        public EnvironmentVariableScope(string name, string? value)
+        {
+            _name = name;
+            _original = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(name);
+            Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable(name, value);
+        }
+
+        public void Dispose()
+        {
+            Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable(_name, _original);
+        }
+    }
+
     /// <summary>Verifies that error output redacts sensitive API key values.</summary>
     /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
     [Fact]

clients/go/README.md

@@ -177,7 +177,11 @@ parity holds: a `WriteSecured` issued without a matching prior `AuthenticateUser
 and supervisory advise fails natively, and that failure is surfaced unchanged
 rather than pre-empted. The CLI exposes `authenticate-user` (credential via
 `-password-env`, default `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD`, or `-password`) and
-`write-secured`.
+`write-secured`. The credential is required: a missing or empty resolved value is
+a usage error naming the flag and the variable, so the CLI fails before dialing
+instead of authenticating with an empty password. `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD` is
+the canonical variable across all five client CLIs — see
+[Cross-Language Smoke Matrix](../../docs/CrossLanguageSmokeMatrix.md).
 
 ### Array writes replace the whole array
 

clients/go/cmd/mxgw-go/main.go

@@ -446,6 +446,11 @@ func runWriteSecured(ctx context.Context, args []string, stdout, stderr io.Write
 	return writeCommandOutput(stdout, *jsonOutput, "write-secured", options, reply, err)
 }
 
+// defaultVerifyPasswordEnv is the canonical CLI credential environment variable,
+// shared by every official client CLI (CLI-45) so one exported variable drives
+// the same operator workflow in all five languages.
+const defaultVerifyPasswordEnv = "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD"
+
 func runAuthenticateUser(ctx context.Context, args []string, stdout, stderr io.Writer) error {
 	flags := flag.NewFlagSet("authenticate-user", flag.ContinueOnError)
 	flags.SetOutput(stderr)
@@ -458,7 +463,7 @@ func runAuthenticateUser(ctx context.Context, args []string, stdout, stderr io.W
 	// prefer the environment variable so it stays out of shell history and the
 	// process table. The -password flag remains for non-interactive scripting.
 	password := flags.String("password", "", "verify-user password (prefer -password-env)")
-	passwordEnv := flags.String("password-env", "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD", "environment variable containing the verify-user password")
+	passwordEnv := flags.String("password-env", defaultVerifyPasswordEnv, "environment variable containing the verify-user password")
 
 	if err := flags.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -471,8 +476,18 @@ func runAuthenticateUser(ctx context.Context, args []string, stdout, stderr io.W
 	}
 
 	resolvedPassword := *password
-	if resolvedPassword == "" && *passwordEnv != "" {
+	envName := *passwordEnv
-		resolvedPassword = os.Getenv(*passwordEnv)
+	if envName == "" {
+		envName = defaultVerifyPasswordEnv
+	}
+	if resolvedPassword == "" {
+		resolvedPassword = os.Getenv(envName)
+	}
+	// Fail fast rather than dialing: an unset or empty variable must not become a
+	// real MXAccess authentication attempt with an empty credential. The message
+	// names only the flag and the variable — never the resolved value.
+	if resolvedPassword == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("a password is required via -password or the %s environment variable", envName)
 	}
 
 	client, options, err := dialForCommand(ctx, common)

clients/go/cmd/mxgw-go/main_test.go

@@ -598,6 +598,69 @@ func TestRunAuthenticateUserRequiresVerifyUser(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestRunAuthenticateUserRejectsEmptyPassword pins the CLI-45 fail-fast contract:
+// an unresolved credential must abort before dialing rather than authenticating
+// with an empty password, and the usage error must name both -password and the
+// canonical environment variable without echoing any value.
+func TestRunAuthenticateUserRejectsEmptyPassword(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD", "")
+
+	var stdout, stderr bytes.Buffer
+	err := runWithIO(t.Context(), []string{
+		"authenticate-user",
+		"-session-id", "s1",
+		"-verify-user", "operator",
+		"-plaintext",
+		"-api-key", "test",
+	}, &stdout, &stderr)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("authenticate-user without a credential must fail before dialing")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "-password") {
+		t.Fatalf("error must name the -password flag: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD") {
+		t.Fatalf("error must name the canonical environment variable: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestRunAuthenticateUserReadsPasswordFromCanonicalEnv pins that the default
+// -password-env is MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD: with it set the credential guard
+// passes and the command proceeds past it to the dial, which fails against an
+// unused port under a short context — proving the guard was cleared without
+// needing a live gateway.
+func TestRunAuthenticateUserReadsPasswordFromCanonicalEnv(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD", "env-sourced-credential")
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(t.Context(), 200*time.Millisecond)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	var stdout, stderr bytes.Buffer
+	err := runWithIO(ctx, []string{
+		"authenticate-user",
+		"-session-id", "s1",
+		"-verify-user", "operator",
+		"-endpoint", "127.0.0.1:1",
+		"-plaintext",
+		"-api-key", "test",
+		"-call-timeout", "1s",
+	}, &stdout, &stderr)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected the dial/RPC to fail against an unused port")
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "flag provided but not defined") {
+		t.Fatalf("test invoked an unknown flag, so it never reached the guard: %v", err)
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "a password is required") {
+		t.Fatalf("credential guard must be satisfied from %s: %v", "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD", err)
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "env-sourced-credential") ||
+		strings.Contains(stdout.String(), "env-sourced-credential") ||
+		strings.Contains(stderr.String(), "env-sourced-credential") {
+		t.Fatal("the resolved credential must never be echoed")
+	}
+}
+
 // TestRunWriteBulkVariantRejectsMismatchedHandlesAndValues pins the len-mismatch
 // guard so a write-bulk with unequal item-handles / values counts fails fast
 // before any dial.

clients/java/README.md

@@ -167,8 +167,13 @@ session.write(serverHandle, itemHandle, value, userId);
 native failure is surfaced, not papered over.
 
 The CLI exposes `advise-supervisory`, `write-secured`, and `authenticate-user`
-(credential via `--password` or `--password-env`, never echoed), and `write` /
+(credential via `--password` or the variable named by `--password-env`, default
-`write2` take `--user-id`.
+`MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD`, never echoed), and `write` / `write2` take
+`--user-id`. The credential is required: a missing or empty resolved value is a
+picocli usage error naming the option and the variable, so the CLI fails before
+connecting instead of authenticating with an empty password.
+`MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD` is the canonical variable across all five client
+CLIs — see [Cross-Language Smoke Matrix](../../docs/CrossLanguageSmokeMatrix.md).
 
 ### Array writes replace the whole array
 

clients/java/zb-mom-ww-mxgateway-cli/src/main/java/com/zb/mom/ww/mxgateway/cli/MxGatewayCli.java

@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ import picocli.CommandLine.Command;
 import picocli.CommandLine.Mixin;
 import picocli.CommandLine.Model.CommandSpec;
 import picocli.CommandLine.Option;
+import picocli.CommandLine.ParameterException;
 import picocli.CommandLine.Spec;
 
 /**
@@ -182,6 +183,13 @@ public final class MxGatewayCli implements Callable<Integer> {
     /** Sentinel written to stdout after every command result in batch mode. */
     static final String BATCH_EOR = "__MXGW_BATCH_EOR__";
 
+    /**
+     * Canonical CLI credential environment variable, shared by every official
+     * client CLI (CLI-45) so one exported variable drives the same operator
+     * workflow in all five languages.
+     */
+    static final String DEFAULT_VERIFY_PASSWORD_ENV = "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD";
+
     /** Sentinel queued by {@code stream-alarms} to mark a clean end of the alarm feed. */
     private static final Object ALARM_FEED_END = new Object();
 
@@ -1139,7 +1147,7 @@ public final class MxGatewayCli implements Callable<Integer> {
 
         @Option(
                 names = "--password-env",
-                defaultValue = "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD",
+                defaultValue = DEFAULT_VERIFY_PASSWORD_ENV,
                 description = "Environment variable holding the password when --password is omitted.")
         String passwordEnv;
 
@@ -1151,11 +1159,20 @@ public final class MxGatewayCli implements Callable<Integer> {
         public Integer call() {
             // Resolve the credential from the flag or environment. It flows only
             // into the request; it is never written to output, logs, or errors.
+            String environmentName =
+                    passwordEnv == null || passwordEnv.isBlank() ? DEFAULT_VERIFY_PASSWORD_ENV : passwordEnv;
             String resolvedPassword = password == null || password.isBlank()
-                    ? System.getenv(passwordEnv)
+                    ? System.getenv(environmentName)
                     : password;
-            if (resolvedPassword == null) {
+            if (resolvedPassword == null || resolvedPassword.isBlank()) {
-                resolvedPassword = "";
+                // Fail fast instead of dialing: a misconfigured environment must not
+                // become a real MXAccess authentication attempt with an empty
+                // credential (CLI-45). The message names the option and the variable
+                // only — never the value.
+                throw new ParameterException(
+                        common.spec.commandLine(),
+                        "a password is required via --password or the " + environmentName
+                                + " environment variable");
             }
             try (MxGatewayCliClient client = clientFactory.connect(common.resolved())) {
                 int userId = client.session(sessionId)

clients/java/zb-mom-ww-mxgateway-cli/src/test/java/com/zb/mom/ww/mxgateway/cli/MxGatewayCliTests.java

@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ package com.zb.mom.ww.mxgateway.cli;
 
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertFalse;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertNotEquals;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertNull;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertTrue;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assumptions.assumeTrue;
 
 import com.zb.mom.ww.mxgateway.client.MxGatewayAlarmFeedSubscription;
 import com.zb.mom.ww.mxgateway.client.MxGatewayClientOptions;
@@ -211,6 +214,73 @@ final class MxGatewayCliTests {
         assertFalse(run.errors().contains("super-secret-pw"), "password must never be echoed to stderr");
     }
 
+    /**
+     * CLI-45: an unresolved credential must abort with a picocli usage error
+     * before the CLI dials, instead of authenticating with an empty password.
+     * The message names the option and the variable, never a value.
+     */
+    @Test
+    void authenticateUserRejectsMissingCredentialWithUsageError() {
+        FakeClientFactory factory = new FakeClientFactory();
+        CliRun run = execute(
+                factory,
+                "authenticate-user",
+                "--session-id", "session-cli",
+                "--server-handle", "3",
+                "--verify-user", "operator",
+                "--password-env", "MXGW_CLI45_ABSENT_PASSWORD_VAR",
+                "--json");
+
+        assertNotEquals(0, run.exitCode(), "a missing credential must fail");
+        assertTrue(run.errors().contains("--password"), run.errors());
+        assertTrue(run.errors().contains("MXGW_CLI45_ABSENT_PASSWORD_VAR"), run.errors());
+        assertNull(factory.client, "the CLI must not connect without a credential");
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * CLI-45: a blank {@code --password} is treated as missing — the CLI never
+     * sends a fabricated empty credential to the wire.
+     */
+    @Test
+    void authenticateUserRejectsBlankPasswordValue() {
+        FakeClientFactory factory = new FakeClientFactory();
+        CliRun run = execute(
+                factory,
+                "authenticate-user",
+                "--session-id", "session-cli",
+                "--server-handle", "3",
+                "--verify-user", "operator",
+                "--password", "",
+                "--password-env", "MXGW_CLI45_ABSENT_PASSWORD_VAR",
+                "--json");
+
+        assertNotEquals(0, run.exitCode(), "a blank credential must fail");
+        assertNull(factory.client, "the CLI must not connect without a credential");
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * CLI-45: {@code --password-env} defaults to the canonical
+     * {@code MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD}, so the usage error names it when no
+     * explicit variable is given. Skipped if the canonical variable happens to be
+     * exported in the running environment (which would satisfy the credential).
+     */
+    @Test
+    void authenticateUserDefaultsToCanonicalPasswordEnvName() {
+        assumeTrue(System.getenv(MxGatewayCli.DEFAULT_VERIFY_PASSWORD_ENV) == null);
+
+        FakeClientFactory factory = new FakeClientFactory();
+        CliRun run = execute(
+                factory,
+                "authenticate-user",
+                "--session-id", "session-cli",
+                "--server-handle", "3",
+                "--verify-user", "operator",
+                "--json");
+
+        assertNotEquals(0, run.exitCode());
+        assertTrue(run.errors().contains("MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD"), run.errors());
+    }
+
     // ---- ping subcommand (D4) ----
 
     @Test

clients/python/README.md

@@ -187,7 +187,13 @@ await session.write_secured(
 ```
 
 The CLI mirrors these as `authenticate-user` (credential via `--password` or,
-preferably, `--password-env`) and `write-secured`.
+preferably, the variable named by `--password-env`, default
+`MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD`) and `write-secured`. The credential is required: a
+missing or empty resolved value raises a `UsageError` naming the option and the
+variable, so the CLI fails before connecting instead of authenticating with an
+empty password. `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD` is the canonical variable across all
+five client CLIs — see
+[Cross-Language Smoke Matrix](../../docs/CrossLanguageSmokeMatrix.md).
 
 ### Array writes replace the whole array
 

clients/python/src/zb_mom_ww_mxgateway_cli/commands.py

@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 MAX_AGGREGATE_EVENTS = 10_000
 
+#: Canonical CLI credential environment variable, shared by every official client
+#: CLI (CLI-45) so one exported variable drives the same operator workflow in all
+#: five languages.
+DEFAULT_VERIFY_PASSWORD_ENV = "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD"
+
 _BATCH_EOR = "__MXGW_BATCH_EOR__"
 
 
@@ -328,7 +333,8 @@ def write_secured(**kwargs: Any) -> None:
 )
 @click.option(
     "--password-env",
-    default=None,
+    default=DEFAULT_VERIFY_PASSWORD_ENV,
+    show_default=True,
     help="Environment variable holding the user password.",
 )
 @click.option("--correlation-id", default="", help="Client correlation id.")
@@ -834,17 +840,23 @@ async def _authenticate_user(**kwargs: Any) -> dict[str, Any]:
 def _resolve_password(kwargs: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
     """Resolve the authenticate-user password from --password or --password-env.
 
-    Prefers the explicit flag, then falls back to the named environment
+    Prefers the explicit flag, then falls back to the environment variable named
-    variable. The resolved secret is never echoed; callers pass it into the
+    by ``--password-env`` (default :data:`DEFAULT_VERIFY_PASSWORD_ENV`). A missing
-    ``secrets`` redaction list so it cannot leak through a surfaced error.
+    *or empty* value from either source is a usage error (CLI-45): the CLI never
+    sends a fabricated empty credential to the wire. The error names the option
+    and the variable only — the resolved secret is never echoed, and callers pass
+    it into the ``secrets`` redaction list so it cannot leak through a surfaced
+    error either.
     """
 
+    env_name = kwargs.get("password_env") or DEFAULT_VERIFY_PASSWORD_ENV
     password = kwargs.get("password")
     if not password:
-        env_name = kwargs.get("password_env")
+        password = os.environ.get(env_name)
-        password = os.environ.get(env_name) if env_name else None
     if not password:
-        raise click.UsageError("a password is required via --password or --password-env")
+        raise click.UsageError(
+            f"a password is required via --password or the {env_name} environment variable"
+        )
     return password
 
 

clients/python/tests/test_cli.py

@@ -752,7 +752,9 @@ def test_authenticate_user_reads_password_from_env(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPat
     assert fake.last_request.command.authenticate_user.verify_user_password == "env-secret-pw"
 
 
-def test_authenticate_user_requires_a_password() -> None:
+def test_authenticate_user_requires_a_password(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.delenv("MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD", raising=False)
+
     result = CliRunner().invoke(
         main,
         [
@@ -770,6 +772,81 @@ def test_authenticate_user_requires_a_password() -> None:
 
     assert result.exit_code != 0
     assert "password is required" in result.output
+    # CLI-45: the usage error names the option and the canonical env var.
+    assert "--password" in result.output
+    assert "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD" in result.output
+
+
+def test_authenticate_user_reads_password_from_canonical_default_env(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    """CLI-45: --password-env defaults to MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD.
+
+    Exporting the canonical variable alone must satisfy the credential, with no
+    explicit --password-env flag — the same operator workflow as the other CLIs.
+    """
+    from zb_mom_ww_mxgateway.generated import mxaccess_gateway_pb2 as pb
+
+    reply = pb.MxCommandReply(
+        session_id="s1",
+        kind=pb.MX_COMMAND_KIND_AUTHENTICATE_USER,
+        protocol_status=pb.ProtocolStatus(code=pb.PROTOCOL_STATUS_CODE_OK),
+        authenticate_user=pb.AuthenticateUserReply(user_id=11),
+    )
+    fake = _FakeInvokeClient(reply)
+
+    async def fake_connect(options, **_kwargs):
+        return fake
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(commands_module.GatewayClient, "connect", fake_connect)
+    monkeypatch.setenv("MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD", "canonical-env-pw")
+
+    result = CliRunner().invoke(
+        main,
+        [
+            "authenticate-user",
+            "--plaintext",
+            "--session-id",
+            "s1",
+            "--server-handle",
+            "3",
+            "--verify-user",
+            "operator",
+            "--json",
+        ],
+    )
+
+    assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
+    assert json.loads(result.output)["userId"] == 11
+    assert "canonical-env-pw" not in result.output
+    assert fake.last_request.command.authenticate_user.verify_user_password == "canonical-env-pw"
+
+
+def test_authenticate_user_rejects_empty_password_value(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    """CLI-45: an empty resolved credential fails fast, never reaching the wire."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD", "")
+
+    result = CliRunner().invoke(
+        main,
+        [
+            "authenticate-user",
+            "--plaintext",
+            "--session-id",
+            "s1",
+            "--server-handle",
+            "3",
+            "--verify-user",
+            "operator",
+            "--password",
+            "",
+            "--json",
+        ],
+    )
+
+    assert result.exit_code != 0
+    assert "password is required" in result.output
 
 
 def test_write_secured_command_does_not_echo_value_on_failure(

clients/rust/README.md

@@ -216,7 +216,12 @@ the wire — the client never logs them and never embeds them in an `Error`'s
 `Display`/`Debug`; the only error text that can surface (from `tonic::Status`
 messages and reply diagnostics) is scrubbed by the credential-redaction seam.
 The CLI mirrors these as `authenticate-user` (password via `--password` or the
-`--password-env` env var, never echoed) and `write-secured`.
+variable named by `--password-env`, default `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD`, never
+echoed) and `write-secured`. The credential is required: a missing or empty
+resolved value is a usage error naming the flag and the variable, so the CLI
+fails before dialing instead of authenticating with an empty password.
+`MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD` is the canonical variable across all five client
+CLIs — see [Cross-Language Smoke Matrix](../../docs/CrossLanguageSmokeMatrix.md).
 
 The remaining single-item command helpers round out MXAccess parity:
 `unregister`, `suspend` / `activate` (each returns the operation's

clients/rust/crates/mxgw-cli/src/main.rs

@@ -752,17 +752,7 @@ async fn dispatch(command: Command) -> Result<(), Error> {
             password_env,
             json,
         } => {
-            // Resolve the credential from --password or the named env var.
+            let verify_user_password = resolve_verify_user_password(password, &password_env)?;
-            // The password is passed straight to the typed helper and is never
-            // echoed to stdout/stderr or embedded in an error message.
-            let verify_user_password = password
-                .or_else(|| env::var(&password_env).ok())
-                .ok_or_else(|| Error::InvalidArgument {
-                    name: "password".to_owned(),
-                    detail: format!(
-                        "supply --password or set the environment variable `{password_env}`"
-                    ),
-                })?;
             let session = session_for(connection, session_id).await?;
             let user_id = session
                 .authenticate_user(server_handle, &verify_user, &verify_user_password)
@@ -1736,6 +1726,31 @@ fn print_ok(operation: &str, use_json: bool) {
     }
 }
 
+/// Resolves the `authenticate-user` credential from `--password`, falling back to
+/// the environment variable named by `--password-env` (default
+/// `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD`).
+///
+/// An empty value from either source counts as missing (CLI-45): the CLI fails
+/// fast with a usage error rather than sending a fabricated empty credential to
+/// the wire. The error names the flag and the variable only — never the value,
+/// which is never echoed to stdout/stderr or embedded in an error message.
+fn resolve_verify_user_password(
+    password: Option<String>,
+    password_env: &str,
+) -> Result<String, Error> {
+    password
+        .filter(|value| !value.is_empty())
+        .or_else(|| {
+            env::var(password_env)
+                .ok()
+                .filter(|value| !value.is_empty())
+        })
+        .ok_or_else(|| Error::InvalidArgument {
+            name: "password".to_owned(),
+            detail: format!("supply --password or set the environment variable `{password_env}`"),
+        })
+}
+
 fn print_bulk_results(
     operation: &str,
     results: &[zb_mom_ww_mxgateway_client::generated::mxaccess_gateway::v1::SubscribeResult],
@@ -2617,6 +2632,66 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(parsed.is_ok(), "parse failed: {parsed:?}");
     }
 
+    /// CLI-45: `--password-env` must default to the canonical
+    /// `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD` shared by every official client CLI.
+    #[test]
+    fn authenticate_user_password_env_defaults_to_canonical_name() {
+        let parsed = Cli::try_parse_from([
+            "mxgw",
+            "authenticate-user",
+            "--session-id",
+            "session-1",
+            "--server-handle",
+            "7",
+            "--verify-user",
+            "verifier",
+        ])
+        .expect("parse");
+        match parsed.command {
+            Command::AuthenticateUser { password_env, .. } => {
+                assert_eq!(password_env, "MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD");
+            }
+            other => panic!("expected authenticate-user, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// CLI-45: a credential that resolves to an empty string — whether from the
+    /// flag or from the named environment variable — is treated as missing, so
+    /// the CLI never sends a fabricated empty password to the wire. The usage
+    /// error names the flag and the variable, never a value.
+    #[test]
+    fn resolve_verify_user_password_rejects_missing_and_empty_values() {
+        const ABSENT: &str = "MXGW_CLI45_ABSENT_PASSWORD_VAR";
+        const EMPTY: &str = "MXGW_CLI45_EMPTY_PASSWORD_VAR";
+        const PRESENT: &str = "MXGW_CLI45_PRESENT_PASSWORD_VAR";
+        std::env::remove_var(ABSENT);
+        std::env::set_var(EMPTY, "");
+        std::env::set_var(PRESENT, "env-sourced-credential");
+
+        for (password, env_name) in [
+            (None, ABSENT),
+            (Some(String::new()), ABSENT),
+            (None, EMPTY),
+            (Some(String::new()), EMPTY),
+        ] {
+            let error = super::resolve_verify_user_password(password, env_name)
+                .expect_err("empty or missing credential must be a usage error");
+            let rendered = error.to_string();
+            assert!(rendered.contains("--password"), "{rendered}");
+            assert!(rendered.contains(env_name), "{rendered}");
+        }
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            super::resolve_verify_user_password(None, PRESENT).expect("env credential"),
+            "env-sourced-credential"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            super::resolve_verify_user_password(Some("flag-credential".to_owned()), EMPTY)
+                .expect("flag credential"),
+            "flag-credential"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn parses_write_secured_command() {
         let parsed = Cli::try_parse_from([

docs/CrossLanguageSmokeMatrix.md

@@ -90,6 +90,37 @@ The shared inputs are:
 The commands in the matrix use `MXGATEWAY_API_KEY` through each CLI's
 `api-key-env` flag. They must not embed bearer tokens or raw API keys.
 
+### Credential contract for `authenticate-user`
+
+Every CLI resolves the MXAccess verify-user credential the same way, so one
+exported variable drives the same operator workflow in all five languages:
+
+| Variable | Default | Purpose |
+|----------|---------|---------|
+| `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD` | Empty | Verify-user credential read by `authenticate-user` when `--password` is omitted. |
+
+- Flags are `--password` (Go: `-password`) for an explicit value and
+  `--password-env` (Go: `-password-env`) for the *name* of the environment
+  variable, defaulting to `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD`.
+- Resolution order is flag, then environment variable. Prefer the variable: the
+  flag puts the secret in shell history and the process table.
+- A resolved credential that is **missing or empty** is a usage error. The CLI
+  fails fast before dialing rather than authenticating with an empty password,
+  and the error names only the flag and the variable — never the value. Nothing
+  echoes the credential to stdout, stderr, or logs.
+
+This is CLI argument validation, not an MXAccess parity exception: the client
+*libraries* still transmit whatever credential they are given. Only the operator
+tools refuse to fabricate an empty one.
+
+The .NET CLI accepted `--verify-user-password`, `--verify-user-password-env`, and
+`MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD` before this contract was unified. Those names
+remain as deprecated aliases for one release; new scripts must use the canonical
+names above. The full .NET resolution order is `--password`,
+`--verify-user-password`, the variable named by `--password-env` (or the
+deprecated `--verify-user-password-env`, default `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_PASSWORD`),
+then `MXGATEWAY_VERIFY_USER_PASSWORD`.
+
 ### TLS variant
 
 The matrix runs over plaintext (`h2c`) by default. A TLS variant exists but stays
@@ -132,6 +163,31 @@ for quick local checks, but the full cross-language matrix uses explicit
 operation commands because not every bundled smoke command streams events yet.
 The explicit sequence remains the parity baseline for issue-level validation.
 
+## Per-CLI Subcommand Coverage
+
+The matrix sequence itself is available everywhere, but the later single-item
+session commands were not added to every CLI at the same time. A runner that
+reaches beyond the required sequence must branch on language, so the current
+deltas are specified here rather than left to be discovered:
+
+| Subcommand | .NET | Rust | Go | Python | Java |
+|------------|------|------|----|--------|------|
+| `unregister` | yes | yes | no | no | no |
+| `add-buffered-item` | yes | no | no | no | no |
+| `set-buffered-update-interval` | yes | no | no | no | no |
+| `suspend` | yes | no | no | no | no |
+| `activate` | yes | no | no | no | no |
+| `write-secured` | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
+| `write-secured2` | yes | no | no | no | no |
+| `authenticate-user` | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
+| `archestra-user-to-id` | yes | no | no | no | no |
+
+Only .NET exposes all nine. Rust adds `unregister` and the credential pair; Go,
+Python, and Java expose the credential pair only. Every gap is CLI surface only —
+all five *libraries* implement all nine typed helpers, so a gap is a missing
+operator command, never a missing capability. Levelling the CLIs is separate
+feature work and is not tracked as a defect here.
+
 ## Validation
 
 Run the matrix shape tests after changing the smoke matrix: