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Choose the narrowest permission set that can complete the job. Use read-only access for inspection, approval-required access when an agent must make changes under human review, and full access only for work that genuinely needs broad file or network reach in an environment you can restore. These labels are not universal presets: check the actual file scope, command permissions, network rules, sandbox, and approval behavior in the product you are configuring.

What the three permission choices really control

“Read-only,” “approval-required,” and “full access” describe a workflow, not a single industry standard. Two products can use the same label while exposing very different capabilities. Before selecting a mode, separate four questions:

  • Which files can the agent read? A read-only workspace may still expose every file beneath the allowed path, including secrets that are readable by the user account.
  • Which files can it change? A sandbox may permit writes only inside a project directory, while another mode may allow writes elsewhere on the machine.
  • Which commands and tools can run? Shell commands, package managers, database clients, browser tools, and custom integrations can have different approval rules.
  • Can it reach the network? Network access is a separate boundary from file access. A mode that prevents writes can still permit data to leave through an allowed network tool unless the product blocks that path.

OpenAI’s Codex documentation describes sandboxing as the technical boundary for operations such as where Codex can write and whether it can access the network, while approval policy determines when Codex must ask before an action. The security guidance summarizes the relationship as: “Approvals and sandboxing work together.” See OpenAI’s explanation of Codex sandboxing and approvals.

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Read-only or restrictive access

What it allows

A read-only configuration is a capability boundary that normally lets an agent inspect files and provide analysis without permitting edits in the protected area. It is useful for code review, dependency inspection, documentation audits, incident triage, and planning a change before anyone authorizes it.

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In Codex, the current restrictive combination is documented as sandbox_mode = "read-only" with approval_policy = "on-request". The names are Codex settings, not a universal vocabulary for every agent. Consult the Codex CLI documentation for the controls exposed by your installed client.

What it does not guarantee

  • Read-only does not automatically hide credentials, source code, personal files, or environment variables that the agent can read.
  • It does not prove that every tool is disabled. A product may allow analysis tools, searches, or commands that do not write to the protected path.
  • It does not define network behavior. Verify whether outbound requests are blocked, restricted to an allow-list, or still available.
  • It does not make generated advice safe to apply. A user can copy an unsafe command from the agent and run it manually.

When to start with read-only

Use it when the task is primarily observational: “find why this test fails,” “map the dependencies,” “identify likely security issues,” or “propose a migration plan.” It is also a good first run for an unfamiliar repository because you can learn what the agent wants to do before granting write capability.

Approval-required access

How an approval gate works

Approval-required access lets the agent request a covered action and pauses execution until a person accepts or rejects it. Depending on the implementation, the covered action may be a write outside the sandbox, a network request, a shell command, or a particular tool call. Some systems offer one-time approval; others offer approval for the rest of a session or for a defined class of actions.

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Read the proposed path, command, arguments, and destination before approving. An approval prompt is useful only when it gives enough context to understand the consequence. If the prompt says merely “allow tool,” ask which files, hostnames, and data are involved.

Approval is not the same as sandboxing

A sandbox limits what the process can technically reach. Approval controls when execution pauses. A well-designed setup uses both: keep the agent inside a narrow workspace and require approval for exceptional operations. Expanding the sandbox and relying on prompts alone creates a larger consequence if a request is approved accidentally or if an automated policy allows it.

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Human approval versus automatic evaluation

Some platforms label an automatic risk decision as an approval policy even though no person sees every request. Anthropic’s managed-agent documentation defines three behaviors: always_allow runs a covered tool automatically, always_ask pauses for approval, and auto evaluates each call. Under auto, the service can allow a call it considers safe, deny a high-risk call, or pause when it cannot determine an outcome. Anthropic explicitly states that “auto is not a human checkpoint”: an allowed call can run before a person sees it. These policies apply to that managed-agent platform, not automatically to every Anthropic product. See the managed-agent permission policy documentation.

Full access

What “full” can mean

Full access generally removes one or more of the narrow boundaries: the agent may edit outside the project workspace, run commands without per-action prompts, or use the internet. The exact scope is product-specific, so never infer that “full” means literally every operating-system privilege.

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For a concrete example, Microsoft’s experimental Visual Studio Code Agent Host documentation says its Full Access preset permits edits outside the workspace and internet access without asking, and cautions that “Full Access gives Codex unrestricted disk and network access.” That statement applies to the Agent Host surface, not to every way Codex can be used inside Visual Studio Code. Review the Agent Host documentation and the selected preset before enabling it.

When full access is justified

Use broad access only when the task cannot be completed inside a constrained workspace—for example, a build that must modify a system-level cache, a deployment workflow that needs a controlled network endpoint, or maintenance across several explicitly authorized repositories. Prefer a disposable virtual machine, container, or dedicated account for such work. Keep backups and a clear rollback path, and avoid storing unrelated personal or production data in the same environment.

Why it is risky

Broader permissions increase the possible impact of a mistaken command, a malicious instruction in a file, a compromised dependency, or an unintended data upload. A capable model can follow instructions convincingly while still misunderstanding scope. Full access should therefore be an exception with a named purpose, not the default setting that makes every task convenient.

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Side-by-side comparison

Axis Read-only or restrictive Approval required Full access
File changes Normally blocked by the read-only boundary Allowed only after a covered action is approved, depending on the product May include files outside the workspace in the named product
Commands and tools Product-specific; do not assume every tool is unavailable Approval may apply per tool or when crossing a sandbox boundary May run without asking within the mode’s stated scope
Network Must be checked separately from file access May require approval or a separate network rule Can be open in some implementations; verify the exact setting
Human review Little intervention for reads; writes remain constrained A person can inspect covered requests before execution Little or no per-action review
Main trade-off Least ability to complete modification tasks More friction, but consequential actions are inspectable More autonomy with broader potential consequences

This table is a decision framework, not a claim that every vendor ships these three named presets. Confirm the implementation’s actual boundaries.

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How to choose a permission level

1. Define the smallest successful task

Write down the outcome in operational terms: inspect files, edit tests in one repository, install a dependency, call a staging API, or deploy to production. If the outcome does not require a capability, do not grant it “just in case.”

2. Mark the sensitive boundaries

List directories that must not change, files that contain credentials or customer data, commands that can destroy or publish data, and network destinations that are allowed. Use a separate account or workspace when the existing machine contains unrelated information.

3. Select the narrowest starting mode

  • Inspection only: start read-only with network disabled or tightly restricted.
  • Controlled editing: keep writes inside the workspace and require approval for outside paths, package installation, and network calls.
  • Broad automation: use full access only in an isolated, recoverable environment with explicit scope and monitoring.

4. Decide what must pause

Approval for every harmless read can make a workflow unusable, while never pausing for a destructive command is unsafe. Define categories: file writes, deletion, privilege changes, network uploads, package installation, database mutations, and deployment. Then map each category to a human gate, an automatic policy, or a hard denial.

5. Test with a harmless change

Ask the agent to create a temporary file, inspect a blocked directory, run a benign command, and reach a prohibited network destination. Confirm that each test produces the expected denial or prompt. Do not assume the setting worked because the interface displayed the right label.

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6. Review logs and revoke exceptions

Record one-time and session approvals, remove them when the task ends, and check whether the agent attempted actions outside the plan. If the product cannot show what was allowed, treat that lack of visibility as a reason to use a narrower mode or a more isolated environment.

Configuring restrictive permissions in Codex

Use the built-in permissions control

  1. Open the Codex CLI and run /permissions.
  2. Inspect the available sandbox and approval choices rather than relying on a remembered preset name.
  3. For a restrictive configuration, use the documented combination sandbox_mode = "read-only" and approval_policy = "on-request" where those settings are supported.
  4. Run a read-only test: ask for an analysis, then attempt a harmless file creation and confirm that the write is blocked or requires the expected approval.
  5. Grant a one-time or session-scoped exception only after checking the exact command and path, then return to the restrictive setting when finished.

Codex’s safety model treats the sandbox and approval policy as separate controls. The CLI page documents /permissions as the place to choose what Codex is allowed to do and describes the tool as capable of inspecting, editing, and running code; see the current CLI guide.

Check your version before changing policy files

Approval-policy names can change. OpenAI’s Help Center says that in Codex CLI 0.149.0 and later, along with the corresponding listed desktop and Visual Studio Code extension versions, approval_policy = "untrusted" is no longer supported. It identifies sandbox_mode = "read-only" with approval_policy = "on-request" as a restrictive alternative. Confirm your installed release and any managed configuration before copying an older example; consult the version-specific Codex plan guidance.

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Product-specific examples and boundaries

Anthropic managed agents

On Anthropic’s managed-agent platform, distinguish always_allow, always_ask, and auto when designing a policy. Also check whether a tool is a built-in agent tool, an MCP toolset, or a custom tool executed by your application; the enforcement path can differ. A custom application remains responsible for the controls around tools it runs itself.

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Visual Studio Code Agent Host

The experimental Agent Host page describes three relevant presets. Default Permissions allows reading and editing workspace files and routine local commands, while asking before internet use or access outside the workspace. Auto-Review sends approval requests to an automatic reviewer. Full Access permits edits outside the workspace and internet access without asking. Select a preset based on the Agent Host surface’s documented behavior, not on how another Codex integration labels its modes.

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Common mistakes and how to correct them

“Read-only means the agent cannot see secrets.”

Correction: restrict readable paths and credentials separately. If the agent can read a secret, it may be able to quote it in its response or pass it to an allowed tool even though it cannot edit the file.

“An approval prompt makes the operation safe.”

Correction: inspect the command, arguments, files, and destination. Keep the sandbox narrow so an accidental approval has limited impact.

“Automatic review is a person checking every call.”

Correction: verify whether the product’s automatic policy can allow calls without human visibility. Anthropic’s auto behavior explicitly works this way.

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“Full access is needed because the agent sometimes fails.”

Correction: identify the precise denied capability and grant only that exception, such as one directory or one staging host. If the product cannot express that exception, move the task to an isolated environment rather than widening access on a personal or production machine.

“A familiar setting name has the same meaning everywhere.”

Correction: read the product’s current documentation, note the version, and test file, command, and network boundaries before trusting the configuration.

Operational checklist

  • Task and success condition are written down.
  • Readable and writable paths are explicitly scoped.
  • Network access is disabled, allow-listed, or separately approved.
  • Destructive commands, uploads, package installs, and deployments have a defined policy.
  • Approval prompts reveal the command, arguments, paths, and destinations.
  • Secrets and production data are outside the agent’s workspace whenever possible.
  • A harmless test confirmed the expected deny and prompt behavior.
  • Temporary approvals are revoked and logs reviewed after the task.
  • The product name, integration surface, and installed version are recorded with the configuration.

The Bottom Line

Start read-only, add approval gates for the specific changes the task requires, and reserve full access for isolated, recoverable environments. Treat sandbox scope, network reach, tool policy, and human review as separate controls, and verify them on the exact product and version you use.

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