By Dr. Kanishk Agrawal, Founder & CEO of Path in AI Technologies
The advancement of Artificial Intelligence has entered a new dimension in which machines are shifting from being merely prompt responders to being autonomous agents capable of performing various tasks independently. The new technology called Agentic AI is changing the course of the operations of the companies, changing how they perceive customer service, cybersecurity, financial processes, supply chain management, and productivity. However, this advancement means not only gaining more power in using AI systems but it also brings the danger of using them without proper supervision and discretion.
From Answering Questions to Taking Action
Artificial Intelligence developed from simply answering questions to doing sophisticated tasks that require decisions and actions.While traditional AI helps humans by producing ideas, analyzing data, or making recommendations, Agentic AI takes another step toward the brilliant future of technology.
Agentic AI is capable of reducing complicated tasks to many simple tasks, communicating with different programs and applications, getting access to the databases, and using special tools to get results. From this point of view, the opportunities that such agents can provide their owners are substantial. They can detect suspicious transactions, find out the history of frauds, and take appropriate measures.
The Expanding Attack Surface of Agentic AI
AI brings new security problems that go beyond normal cyber risks. Agentic AI systems often rely on tools, APIs, company databases and third‑party services. Each connection can become a door for attackers. A big worry is injection. In an injection bad instructions hidden in files, emails, web pages or other inputs trick an Agentic AI agent into ignoring what it is meant to do. These attacks are different from usual software bugs because they take advantage of the way Agentic AI reads and ranks instructions.
Many permissions are another danger. If an Agentic AI agent can freely read data, touch money systems or control admin tasks, a hacked or wrong Agentic AI agent could do serious harm. Memory poisoning, integrations and the illegal use of credentials can also break system security. Things get more tangled when many Agentic AI agents work together. A mistake or bad instruction that hits one Agentic AI agent can travel through linked systems making hard‑to‑guess damage happen. Protecting AI means that organisations must look at each Agentic AI agent and also at the big setting where they run.
Least Privilege: Giving AI the Access It Needs
A core rule for keeping Agentic AI safe is least privilege. An Agentic AI agent should get the rights it needs to do its job, not wide access just because it could be handy later. For example an Agentic AI agent that looks at customer complaints might need to read support tickets. It should not automatically see payment keys or be able to issue refunds.
Likewise an Agentic AI agent that spots fraud should not automatically be able to move money or lock accounts without extra approval. Organisations should set up identity checks for each Agentic AI agent, keep credentials, use encrypted talks and enforce tight access rules. Agentic AI permissions should be checked often especially when Agentic AI agents get tools or tasks. It is essential that access be cut off at the system level not, by telling an Agentic AI agent to act responsibly. Security measures must stay strong even if an Agentic AI agent misreads a job or faces input.
Continuous Monitoring and Accountability
Agentic AI security should not stop once a system passes its test. Agents might face situations, changing data and new ways to attack after they are put into use. Continuous checking is therefore very important. Businesses should watch agent actions, save tool calls, look at permission changes and spot behavior.
Red-team activities and testing that tries to break the system can help find weaknesses before bad people use them. Companies also need to have responsibility for AI problems, including who can stop an agent from looking into what it did and allow it to come back online. It is very important for security teams to check the life of an agent from when it is built, when it is used, when it is updated, when it is fixed and when it is taken out of service. Vendors and other outside parts must also be checked.
Innovation Requires Controlled Autonomy
Agentic AI can bring business value but how well it works will depend on whether companies can trust it to act inside safe limits. Many rules could stop it from being useful while not having any limits could put businesses and customers in big trouble. The answer is not to take freedom but to make it clear, limited and something that can be held responsible. Companies need to use identity controls to give only the needed access, keep checking all the time, have people step in when there is a risk and make sure there are clear limits on what the agent can do.
In the end, the safest AI agent is not the one that can do everything on its own. It is the one that knows what it is allowed to do, works inside rules that can be enforced and understands when it needs a person to help. As Agentic AI becomes more part of how companies work security has to change with the ability. The future of AI that acts on its own will not just be about what these systems can do. About how well companies can control what they are allowed to do.
Express Computer is one of India's most respected IT media brands and has been in publication for 24 years running. We cover enterprise technology in all its flavours, including processors, storage, networking, wireless, business applications, cloud computing, analytics, green initiatives and anything that can help companies make the most of their ICT investments. Additionally, we also report on the fast emerging realm of eGovernance in India.