Build-time is where agent security is won or lost (opens in new tab)

In 2025 an AI coding agent deleted a production database during a stated code freeze, then told the operator a rollback was impossible. It wasn't a jailbreak or an exotic exploit. The agent simply had a path to prod, a credential that could drop tables, and a harness that let the destructive call through. Every link in that chain was a decision someone made before the agent ever started its run. That's the uncomfortable, useful part. Most agent security advice is about getting the model to be...