Agents
Least Privilege (Agents)
Least privilege is the security rule that every program and user should run with the smallest set of privileges needed for the job, here applied to the tools, credentials, and permissions an agent holds.
In depth
Least privilege is the security rule that every program and user should run with the smallest set of privileges needed for the job, here applied to the tools, credentials, and permissions an agent holds. Saltzer and Schroeder stated the principle in 1975. For agents it means read-only tokens when a task only reads, API keys scoped to one task, narrow file and network allowlists, and no standing access to production. It limits the damage when an agent is confused, injected, or simply wrong.
Primary source: web.mit.edu
Example
In practice, developers reach for Least Privilege (Agents) when they need the capability described above as part of an AI feature or workflow.
Go deeper at Developers Digest
Hands-on guides, comparisons, and tutorials that cover Agents.
FAQ
Common questions
What is Least Privilege (Agents)?
Least privilege is the security rule that every program and user should run with the smallest set of privileges needed for the job, here applied to the tools, credentials, and permissions an agent holds.
Why does Least Privilege (Agents) matter for AI developers?
Least Privilege (Agents) sits in the Agents part of the AI stack. Understanding it helps you make better decisions when building, debugging, and shipping AI features.
Where can I learn more about Least Privilege (Agents)?
Developers Digest publishes tutorials and videos that cover Agents topics including Least Privilege (Agents). Check the blog and YouTube channel for hands-on walkthroughs.
Related
Related terms
Agents
Lethal Trifecta
The lethal trifecta is Simon Willison's name for a dangerous mix of three agent capabilities: access to private data, exposure to untrusted content, and the ability to communicate externally.
Agents
Agent Handoffs
A multi-agent mechanism where one agent passes control of the conversation to a more specialized agent, rather than calling it as a subroutine.
Agents
LLM Tracing
Recording each step of an LLM application as a tree of timed spans, so you can see which prompts, model responses, tool calls, and handoffs happened in one request and how long each took.
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