Confused deputy
Also called confused deputy problem
A program with more access than the person using it, tricked into using that access for them.
The name comes from a 1988 puzzle. A compiler on a shared computer was allowed to write to a billing file. A user who wasn't allowed near that file asked the compiler to save its output there. The compiler did it with its own permission and wiped the bills. It was a deputy with real authority, used on someone else's behalf.
AI agents are deputies by design. An assistant that answers staff questions from company systems often connects with one account that can see everything, so anyone who asks, or any document it reads, can borrow that access. The fix is for the agent to act with the permissions of the person asking, checked on every call.
For example
An internal assistant connects to HR with one account that can read everything, so an employee who asks the right way can read a colleague's salary.
Put it to use
Where you'll meet confused deputy in ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, how to use it there, and the mix-up most people make.
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