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If an AI agent may have accessed an account without authorization, stop its activity and revoke the credentials and grants it could use. Pausing the agent alone does not invalidate API keys, tokens, browser sessions, passwords, or workload identities already issued. Then recover each affected account through its provider, check account and usage history, and restore only the access you still need.
1. Contain the agent without assuming access is revoked
Pause or disable the agent, or its host environment, if you can do so safely. Stop scheduled jobs and tool integrations that could continue making changes. An agent system may plan and take actions that affect real-world systems, as NIST describes in its January 12, 2026 notice. That makes the connected services part of the incident response—not just the agent process itself.
Containment prevents or limits further activity from that runtime. It does not prove that credentials copied, issued, or granted to it have expired or been invalidated.
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Make a list of the accounts and services the agent could reach, including API providers, identity providers, cloud workloads, connected applications, and accounts whose passwords or logged-in browser sessions were shared with it. For each one, note the likely access type:
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- API key: a credential accepted by an API provider.
- OAuth or other token: a token or delegated grant that may permit access without a password.
- Browser session: an account already signed in on a browser or device.
- Password or authenticator: sign-in information or a second-factor method the agent could access.
- Workload identity: an identity or credential used by a service, job, or cloud environment.
Record which provider issued or accepts each credential. Revocation usually has to happen at that service; there is no universal control panel or single global “revoke agent” button established by the guidance here. NIST’s IR 8587 covers token and key management, lifecycle controls, and monitoring across SSO, federation, APIs, and workloads.
3. Revoke credentials, grants, and sessions at their providers
For each affected service, use its official security or credential-management controls to delete or revoke compromised API keys and tokens, remove delegated application grants where possible, and invalidate active sessions. Change passwords that were exposed, reused, or shared with the agent. Do not assume that logging out of one provider also invalidates sessions at another.
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For an OpenAI account or API key, OpenAI’s account-security guidance says to delete affected API keys through the API key dashboard, log out all sessions, and change an exposed password. It also says logging out all devices may take up to 30 minutes to take effect on other ChatGPT sessions; that timing is specific to OpenAI and should not be assumed for other services.
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4. Recover each affected account
Use the official recovery process for each service where you have lost control or cannot safely sign in. Providers may require different identity checks, recovery information, or support steps, and the timing varies. If an authenticator is compromised, NIST SP 800-63B says the credential service provider should promptly suspend, invalidate, or destroy it after detecting compromise (NIST SP 800-63B).
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Regain control through the provider’s supported process before enrolling replacement authenticators. Avoid relying on an agent or device you suspect is compromised to receive recovery codes or approve sign-ins.
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Once you can access the relevant security pages, check account history, API usage, security events, and connected-app activity for unfamiliar actions. Look for changes such as new integrations, altered recovery information, or activity you cannot account for. Preserve useful details for the provider, but do not copy passwords, API keys, tokens, or recovery codes into incident notes.
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Keep a concise record of dates, affected accounts, safely identifiable key references, and actions the agent may have taken. OpenAI recommends reviewing unexpected API usage and security history, retaining details that may help with recovery, and contacting support when an account or API key may be compromised (OpenAI account-security guidance). For other providers, use their official support and recovery channels.
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6. Restore only the access you need
After containment and review, issue replacement credentials only for integrations that still require them. Where your service stack supports it, use access arrangements with manageable issuance, verification, revocation, and monitoring. NIST IR 8587 recommends attention to key management, token verification, lifecycle controls, and continuous monitoring; the exact implementation depends on the provider and environment.
Confirm the result separately for each service: check for a revocation confirmation where available, verify that account activity is no longer unfamiliar, and retain any provider support response. Do not assume a credential is invalidated until the issuing or accepting service confirms the relevant action.
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