The current SECURITY_MODE options are off and guardrails. Operating-system sandboxing and container isolation are not active.
Set SECURITY_MODE in ~/.abtars/config/.env:
| Value | Current behavior |
|---|---|
| off | Default. Disables the configured command authorization policy. Bridge self-protection and peer-origin restrictions still apply. |
| guardrails | Applies application-level command classification, path checks, and approval rules. |
| seatbelt or docker | Not wired as operating-system containment. These values fall back to guardrails and produce a startup warning. |
Unknown values also fall back to guardrails. Do not treat seatbelt or docker as an active sandbox.
When SECURITY_MODE=guardrails, abTARS applies application-level checks to supported tool actions. Some commands may be blocked or require approval. These checks are not a substitute for operating-system isolation.
Keep API keys and other credentials in the local secret directory, and avoid granting the agent access to workspaces or tools it does not need.
Run abtars doctor for configuration and credential checks. If SECURITY_MODE is set to seatbelt or docker, review the startup log for the fallback notice that guardrails are being used.