Security Built In,
Not Bolted On
Your code stays local by default — connect GitHub only when you choose to. Every agent action logged. Zero-trust execution by design — available on every plan, not just enterprise.
Your Code Stays Local
Tendril agents run on your machine. API calls go directly from your machine to your chosen provider — Tendril servers never see your code or keys. GitHub sync is optional and you control when it happens.
All agent output scanned for injection before processing — protected paths auto-reverted on violation
Multi-Layered Agent Supervision
Every agent action passes through multiple security layers before execution. Injection scanning, command blocking, budget enforcement, and scope monitoring work together to keep agents on track.
Injection Detection
Directional trust model scans all untrusted content — agent output, tool results, file contents, and bash commands — against dozens of patterns across multiple categories.
- Instruction override and role reassignment detection
- System prompt extraction attempts blocked
- Code execution and data exfiltration patterns caught
- Hidden instruction markers and social engineering flagged
Agent Monitoring
Context-aware pattern detection tracks agent behavior in real time. Different thresholds for read-only, high-frequency, and write operations prevent false positives.
- Loop detection: same operation repeated triggers quarantine
- Stall detection: no new files or commands for extended time
- Edit-cycle detection: repeated edits to the same file flagged
- Auto-restart for stalled agents with retry context
Dangerous Command Blocking
Every bash command agents attempt to run is pre-screened against destructive patterns. Dangerous commands are blocked before execution.
- Destructive rm, force push, hard reset blocked
- Sudo, curl-pipe-shell, wget-pipe-shell caught
- Fork bombs, device writes, eval injection stopped
- Agent quarantined immediately on detection
Budget Enforcement
Smart budget system with soft and hard caps. Productive agents get extended budgets — unproductive agents get stopped. Cost velocity monitoring catches rapid burn.
- Soft cap extends automatically if agent is making progress
- Hard cap at 2x budget — absolute maximum, non-negotiable
- Cost-per-minute velocity tracking detects runaway spending
- Per-agent cost checkpoints for rate analysis
Protected Paths and Sandbox
Critical directories and files are protected from agent modification. Violations trigger automatic file reversion to restore previous state.
- .git, .ssh, .aws, node_modules directories protected
- .env files: agents can read but never overwrite
- Scope violation tracking monitors cross-agent file conflicts
- Sandbox reverts unauthorized writes via git restore
Quarantine and Recovery
When an agent trips a security boundary, it is killed immediately and restarted with context about what went wrong. Repeated failures escalate to the user.
- Auto-restart up to 2 times with retry guidance
- Third failure escalates: user chooses retry, trash, or manual
- Every quarantine event logged with evidence
- Process killed cross-platform (SIGKILL / taskkill)
See It in Action
Real screenshots from Tendril's security monitoring — injection detection and scope violation tracking.
Injection Detection
Agent output scanned in real time against 35 patterns

Scope Violation Tracking
Agents flagged when they access files outside their assigned scope

Every Action, Logged in Real Time
A per-project security feed captures every file read, write, command, injection attempt, scope violation, and budget event. Events are persisted to disk and capped per project to prevent unbounded growth.
| Timestamp | Agent | Action | Target | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-16 01:26:31 | Master Agent | FILE_READ | src/auth/session.ts | INFO |
| 2026-04-16 01:26:45 | Sub-Agent #1 | FILE_WRITE | src/auth/jwt.ts | INFO |
| 2026-04-16 01:26:59 | Master Agent | PLAN_CREATED | Implement OAuth flow | INFO |
| 2026-04-16 01:27:13 | Sub-Agent #2 | COMMAND_RUN | npm test -- auth.spec.ts | INFO |
| 2026-04-16 01:27:27 | Master Agent | GITHUB_READ | repo: org/project@main | INFO |
| 2026-04-16 01:27:41 | Sub-Agent #3 | SCOPE_DENIED | ../../../etc/passwd | ERROR |
| 2026-04-16 01:27:55 | Sub-Agent #1 | FILE_WRITE | src/components/Button.tsx | INFO |
| 2026-04-16 01:28:09 | Master Agent | API_CALL | anthropic.com — 14 tokens | INFO |
| 2026-04-16 01:28:23 | Sub-Agent #2 | BASH_BLOCKED | rm -rf / — blocked (sandbox) | ERROR |
| 2026-04-16 01:28:37 | Master Agent | GIT_COMMIT | feat: add auth middleware | INFO |
Security Questions & Answers
Common questions about how Tendril handles your data, agents, and privacy.
Does Tendril ever upload my source code to the cloud?
How does Tendril prevent prompt injection attacks?
What happens when an agent misbehaves?
Does Tendril collect telemetry or track my usage?
Security Questions?
We're happy to discuss our architecture, agent supervision model, or data handling practices for your organization.
Contact Security Team