Role Usurpation

Detects when an agent exceeds its designated role boundaries, taking actions or making decisions reserved for other roles.

Examples

• Code reviewer agent starts modifying code instead of just reviewing
• Research agent makes final product decisions reserved for the PM agent
• Support agent escalates to admin-level operations without authorization
• Agent gradually expands its scope of actions beyond its original assignment

Detection methods

Role Boundary Check

Validates actions against allowed/forbidden action sets

Scope Analysis

Detects gradual scope expansion beyond assignment

Authority Verification

Checks decision authority against role definition

Task Hijacking

Identifies when agent takes over another agent's task

Calibration status

Externally validated on the Pisama calibration set.

Subtypes

• role violation
• scope expansion
• authority violation
• decision overreach