Runtime Constraints

Q1: How do we use "Intent" as an authorization input?

Treat intent as a structured claim that describes what the agent is trying to do and why

e.g., intent=refund_customer, intent=sync_crm, intent=rotate_keys.

The policy engine then evaluates: is this intent allowed for this agent, tenant, and environment; is the requested action within the intent scope; and do constraints apply (time, resource patterns, approvals)?

Intent becomes powerful when it is bound to the request (signed/attested), mapped to allowable operations, and used to mint just-enough permissions. This prevents an agent from using broad credentials to perform actions unrelated to its current task.

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Q2: How do we enforce "Least Privilege" for autonomous agents?

Start with a minimal baseline: agents get only what they need to authenticate and request scoped access. Then enforce least privilege through

1. default-deny policies,

2. fine-grained scopes (resource + action),

3. runtime constraints (context checks), and

4. short-lived tokens tied to the task.

Add guardrails: write operations require stronger proof (step-up, approvals, or additional context), and highly sensitive operations require explicit policy allowlists.

The goal is simple: agents never hold standing access “just in case.”

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Q3: What is "Just-In-Time" (JIT) access for agents?

JIT access means agents don’t retain elevated permissions. They request access at the moment of need, get a short-lived grant, perform the action, and lose that access automatically. For agents, JIT is crucial because it limits blast radius if the agent is compromised or misbehaves.

JIT grants are typically tied to intent + context: “Allow write:billing for 10 minutes only for this incident ticket, in this tenant, from this workload identity.” It’s safer than “permanent tool keys” and easier to audit because each elevation becomes a discrete event.

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Q4: What is "Just-Enough-Access" (task scoping)?

Just-enough-access means the permission is not only temporary (JIT) but also narrowly scoped to the specific task: exact resource set, allowed operations, and constraints. Example: instead of “write to database,” the agent gets “update these rows/collections,” “write only to this namespace,” or “call only these API endpoints,” and only for the task duration. Task scoping is what prevents “agent drift,” where a valid credential gets reused to do unrelated actions.

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Q5: Can we enforce "Read-Only" mode for agents by default?

Yes and it’s one of the best defaults. Make the baseline policy read-only, allowing the agent to observe, summarize, search, and propose changes, but not execute writes. Then enable controlled escalation paths for write actions: step-up checks, stricter context requirements, or human-in-the-loop approvals.

For engineering workflows, read-only mode pairs well with “plan → review → apply,” where the agent generates a plan and diff first, and only executes changes after policy checks (or approval) pass.

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