semantic privilege escalation

Definition of semantic privilege escalation

1. : a security failure in which an AI agent stays within its formally granted technical permissions but uses them to take actions beyond the intended meaning or scope of the user's task

   • The support agent caused semantic privilege escalation when a request to organize customer messages led it to email confidential pricing to an entire contact list.
   • The policy engine checked not only whether the agent could call the payment tool but whether that particular payment was within the user's stated intent.