Sensitive file access
A tool call refers to a file that commonly contains credentials or sensitive system information.
Why it is risky
Section titled “Why it is risky”An agent with access to SSH keys, environment files, or cloud credentials may gain access far beyond the project it is working on. Some matching files, such as public keys or account listings, are less sensitive.
Example
Section titled “Example”An agent fixing a formatting error opens a project environment file that contains production credentials. The task did not require those values.
This is a fictional example, not an event from a customer.
What Omnodex Detects
Section titled “What Omnodex Detects”The rule matches selected paths in tool parameters, including SSH directories, environment files, cloud configuration, and PEM files. It flags access to a matching path, without checking the file contents or proving a successful read.
| Rule ID | Event category | Tier | Base severity |
|---|---|---|---|
RULE_SENSITIVE_PATH_READ | sensitive_path_read | Community | HIGH |
Base severity is the rule default. A finding involving content saved for later execution may have a lower severity. Your loaded rule version and event details determine the finding you see.
What to check next
Section titled “What to check next”Check the exact path, the requested task, and whether the operation completed. If a real secret was exposed beyond its intended audience, revoke or rotate it through the provider.
False positives
Section titled “False positives”Reading an environment template, a public certificate, or SSH configuration for an authorized setup task can trigger the rule. A filename that resembles a private key may contain public data.
False negatives
Section titled “False negatives”Secrets in differently named files, unsupported parameter fields, or subprocess file reads that are absent from captured tool calls can be missed.
Technical details
Section titled “Technical details”Path matching uses recognized parameter fields and selected shell command forms. It is an approximation of file access, rather than a record of every operating-system read.
A finding describes a pattern in captured activity. Review the original call, its result, and the task context before concluding that harm occurred. Absence of a finding does not establish that an operation is safe.
References
Section titled “References”AWS Security described the 2025 Nx compromise as an attempt to use generative AI command-line tools to steal sensitive configuration files. This illustrates why unrelated configuration access merits review; it does not mean this finding identifies Nx malware. Read the AWS incident account.