agent-approvals-security.md Codex Docs, 2026-04-21 06:45 UTC → 2026-04-25 00:42 UTC

73- `<writable_root>/.codex` is protected as read-only when it exists as a directory.73- `<writable_root>/.codex` is protected as read-only when it exists as a directory.

74- Protection is recursive, so everything under those paths is read-only.74- Protection is recursive, so everything under those paths is read-only.

75 75 

76### Deny reads with filesystem profiles

77 

78Named permission profiles can also deny reads for exact paths or glob patterns.

79This is useful when a workspace should stay writable but specific sensitive

80files, such as local environment files, must stay unreadable:

81 

82```toml

83default_permissions = "workspace"

84 

85[permissions.workspace.filesystem]

86":project_roots" = { "." = "write", "**/*.env" = "none" }

87glob_scan_max_depth = 3

88```

89 

90Use `"none"` for paths or globs that Codex shouldn't read. The sandbox policy

91evaluates globs for local macOS and Linux command execution. On platforms that

92pre-expand glob matches before the sandbox starts, set `glob_scan_max_depth` for

93unbounded `**` patterns, or list explicit depths such as `*.env`, `*/*.env`, and

94`*/*/*.env`.

95 

76### Run without approval prompts96### Run without approval prompts

77 97 

78You can disable approval prompts with `--ask-for-approval never` or `-a never` (shorthand).98You can disable approval prompts with `--ask-for-approval never` or `-a never` (shorthand).

83 103 

84For a middle ground, `approval_policy = { granular = { ... } }` lets you keep specific approval prompt categories interactive while automatically rejecting others. The granular policy covers sandbox approvals, execpolicy-rule prompts, MCP prompts, `request_permissions` prompts, and skill-script approvals.104For a middle ground, `approval_policy = { granular = { ... } }` lets you keep specific approval prompt categories interactive while automatically rejecting others. The granular policy covers sandbox approvals, execpolicy-rule prompts, MCP prompts, `request_permissions` prompts, and skill-script approvals.

85 105 

86Set `approvals_reviewer = "guardian_subagent"` to route eligible approval reviews through the Guardian reviewer subagent instead of prompting the user directly. Admin requirements can constrain this with `allowed_approvals_reviewers`.106### Automatic approval reviews

107 

108By default, approval requests route to you:

109 

110```toml

111approvals_reviewer = "user"

112```

113 

114Automatic approval reviews apply when approvals are interactive, such as

115`approval_policy = "on-request"` or a granular approval policy. Set

116`approvals_reviewer = "auto_review"` to route eligible approval requests

117through a reviewer agent before Codex runs the request:

118 

119```toml

120approval_policy = "on-request"

121approvals_reviewer = "auto_review"

122```

123 

124The reviewer evaluates only actions that already need approval, such as sandbox

125escalations, network requests, `request_permissions` prompts, or side-effecting

126app and MCP tool calls. Actions that stay inside the sandbox continue without an

127extra review step.

128 

129The reviewer policy checks for data exfiltration, credential probing, persistent

130security weakening, and destructive actions. Low-risk and medium-risk actions

131can proceed when policy allows them. The policy denies critical-risk actions.

132High-risk actions require enough user authorization and no matching deny rule.

133Timeouts, parse failures, and review errors fail closed.

134 

135The [default reviewer policy](https://github.com/openai/codex/blob/main/codex-rs/core/src/guardian/policy.md)

136is in the open-source Codex repository. Enterprises can replace its

137tenant-specific section with `guardian_policy_config` in managed requirements.

138Local `[auto_review].policy` text is also supported, but managed requirements

139take precedence. For setup details, see

140[Managed configuration](https://developers.openai.com/codex/enterprise/managed-configuration#configure-automatic-review-policy).

141 

142In the Codex app, these reviews appear as automatic review items with a status such

143as Reviewing, Approved, Denied, Stopped, or Timed out. They can also include a

144risk level for the reviewed request.

145 

146Automatic review uses extra model calls, so it can add to Codex usage. Admins

147can constrain it with `allowed_approvals_reviewers`.

87 148 

88### Common sandbox and approval combinations149### Common sandbox and approval combinations

89 150