AgentKey · Access Control

AI Agent Access Control

AI agent access control is the enforcement of least-privilege boundaries around an AI agent: limiting which tools it can reach, which actions it can perform, and the parameter ranges it can use.

By AgentKey · Last updated 2026-09-01

Least privilege for agents

Least privilege means giving an agent only the access its task requires and nothing more. For an agent, access is multidimensional: the tool, the action on that tool, and the parameters of the action. A read-only database tool is safer than a general one; a refund under $500 is safer than a refund of any size.

Boundaries you can set

  • Tool boundaries: which MCP servers, APIs, and plugins the agent may call at all.
  • Action boundaries: read vs write, query vs mutate, send vs delete.
  • Parameter boundaries: amount caps, allowed domains, allowed table scopes.
  • Approval boundaries: actions above a risk threshold require a human.

Enforcement vs configuration

Access control only helps if it is enforced on the real call path. If the agent can bypass the policy, the boundary is decorative. Enforcement must wrap the tools the agent actually calls, so every path goes through the check.

Where AgentKey fits

AgentKey's wrap() wraps the agent's real tool list so every call passes through the authorization check. Access control is therefore enforced, not just configured, and the unconfigured default is deny.

Frequently asked questions

What is AI agent access control?

Enforcing least-privilege boundaries around an agent: which tools it can reach, which actions it can perform, and the parameter ranges it may use, applied on every real call path.

How is least privilege applied to an AI agent?

By limiting the tool, the action, and the parameters. A read-only tool, a capped amount, an allow-listed domain, and an approval threshold are all least-privilege boundaries applied together.

Related topics