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Chapter 58: Security & Governance

A production agent handles user data, makes API calls with credentials, and takes actions on behalf of users. Security isn't optional—it's foundational. This chapter covers the security practices that protect your agent, your users, and your infrastructure.

Beyond technical security, AI agents need governance: guardrails that prevent harmful outputs, audit trails that track actions, and compliance measures that satisfy regulations. This chapter addresses both dimensions.

What You'll Learn​

By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to:

  • Implement authentication: OAuth 2.0, JWT validation, and session management
  • Manage authorization: RBAC, permissions, and policy enforcement
  • Handle secrets securely: Kubernetes Secrets, external vaults, and rotation
  • Secure container images: Vulnerability scanning, signed images, and base image policies
  • Apply network policies: Pod-to-pod restrictions and zero-trust networking
  • Implement agent guardrails: Content filtering, action limits, and human-in-the-loop
  • Build audit trails: Logging actions, compliance reporting, and traceability
  • Meet compliance requirements: GDPR, SOC 2, and industry-specific standards

Chapter Structure​

  1. Security Fundamentals — Threat models for AI agent systems
  2. Authentication Patterns — OAuth 2.0, OIDC, and token management
  3. Authorization & RBAC — Roles, permissions, and policy engines
  4. Secrets Management — Kubernetes Secrets, HashiCorp Vault, and rotation
  5. Container Security — Image scanning, signing, and runtime protection
  6. Network Security — Network policies, service mesh, and mTLS
  7. AI Safety Guardrails — Content filtering, action limits, and escalation
  8. Audit & Compliance — Logging, reporting, and regulatory requirements
  9. Capstone: Secure Agent Deployment — Apply comprehensive security to your production agent

Prerequisites​

  • Chapter 57: API Gateway (edge security in place)
  • Chapter 55: CI/CD (security scanning integration)
  • Running agent in Kubernetes

Looking Ahead​

Your agent is secure and governed. Chapter 59 provisions cloud infrastructure with Infrastructure-as-Code, enabling production deployment beyond Minikube.