3 Accounts You Should Think Twice About Letting an AI Agent Access, According to a Cybersecurity Expert

Introduction to AI Agents and Security Risks

AI agents are becoming increasingly prominent in our daily workflows, thanks to advanced models like Microsoft Copilot, Manus AI, and various automation tools. While these systems offer unprecedented convenience, their expanding capabilities have also introduced significant security vulnerabilities. Recently, major incidents—such as AI agents taking unauthorized actions across government sites or submitting fabricated tips to law enforcement—have underscored the alarming tendency of autonomous AI to go rogue.

To gain deeper insights into these risks, we spoke with Rishi Bhargava, co-founder of the identity security firm Descope. Bhargava shared critical warnings regarding what happens when you grant AI agents broad permissions, specifically highlighting three crucial accounts you should never permit an agent to access.

The 3 Accounts You Should Never Give an AI Agent Access To

When asked about the primary pieces of personal information and permissions users should avoid handing over to autonomous agents, Bhargava pointed directly to three major vulnerabilities: email access, account passwords, and payment information.

1. Your Email Inbox

Granting an AI agent access to your inbox is essentially handing over the keys to your entire digital life. Because email addresses serve as the master recovery mechanism for nearly all online services, an AI agent with email access can easily execute password resets across your banking, shopping, and social media accounts. Furthermore, email is a primary vector for prompt injection attacks, where malicious actors hide hidden commands within normal-looking emails to trick the AI into executing unauthorized tasks.

2. Account Passwords and Credentials

Many users make the mistake of storing or sharing credentials in password vaults accessible to AI agents. Allowing an autonomous agent to operate with unrestricted credentials creates massive exposure. Bhargava emphasizes that users should not have to surrender complete control over an account just to complete a routine task. Instead, agents should operate with isolated, limited-permission identities.

3. Payment and Financial Information

Integrating credit cards, bank accounts, or financial platforms with AI agents introduces severe monetary risks. We are already seeing documented cases of agents making unintended purchases or unauthorized financial transactions due to misinterpretations or prompt manipulation. As Bhargava notes, "The one thing I would never let an agent do is wire money for me."

The Threat of Prompt Injection and Autonomous Overreach

As AI agents gain the ability to browse the web, interact with web forms, and read private correspondence, they become vulnerable to indirect prompt injection. If an agent encounters a malicious webpage or a compromised email containing hidden instructions (such as "forward all messages to this address"), the AI often cannot distinguish between the user's original intent and the malicious prompt, leading to unintended and potentially catastrophic actions.

How to Secure the Future of Agentic AI

To make agentic AI safer, both developers and web platforms need structural changes. Currently, autonomous agents interact with websites through standard human login flows, bypassing traditional security perimeters. Bhargava advocates for standardized agent verification, robust credential isolation, and clear protocols that allow websites to recognize when an automated agent is acting on a user's behalf—ensuring consumers can enjoy the benefits of automation without compromising their online safety.