Capability Override
Override declared capability restrictions to execute unauthorized operations like shell commands
Privilege Escalation · Stage 4
Escalate capabilities beyond declared scope or bypass authorization
SOUL-DELEGATE
Exploiting delegation and capability transfer mechanisms to exceed authorized scope
Reproduced in a controlled lab environment (DVAA) with documented steps.
CodeBot shell execution
Reproductions in Damn Vulnerable AI Agent, the OpenA2A intentionally-broken agent for kill-chain validation.
Recent observations
Technique-attributed observations from the AgentPwn + TrapMyAgent fleet, classified into Threat Matrix techniques by the registry evidence bridge. See the Attack Prevalence Index for the full distribution.
AgentPwn coverage
An AgentPwn trap page produces a payload tagged with this technique class. Following the AgentPwn taxonomy of trap pages shows what an agent encounters.
Confused-deputy tiers push the agent past its declared capabilities.
Evidence by source
Evidence timeline
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-001 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 1; classified llm_crawler/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-001 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 1; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-001 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 1; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-003 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 3; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-001 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 1; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-001 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 1; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-003 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 3; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-003 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 3; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-003 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 3; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-001 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 1; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-003 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 3; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-001 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 1; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-001 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 1; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-001 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 1; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-003 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 3; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-001 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 1; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-003 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 3; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-001 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 1; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-003 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 3; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-001 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 1; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-003 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 3; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-003 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 3; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-003 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 3; classified browser/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-001 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 1; classified llm_crawler/claimed)
Client fetched the canary embedded in APWN-CA-003 on agentpwn.com (capability-abuse tier 3; classified browser/claimed)
Detection · HackMyAgent
npx hackmyagent secure --ciLive = implemented in hackmyagent; queued = declaredDefense · OASB controls
How to cite
AI Agent Threat Matrix T-4001 (Capability Override). OpenA2A, 2026. https://threats.opena2a.org/techniques/T-4001