Artificial intelligence (AI) agents have become increasingly sophisticated in recent years, but they also pose a significant threat to security if not properly contained.
A key concern is the possibility that an agent will generate unchecked, potentially lethal commands. This scenario may seem like science fiction, reminiscent of HAL 9000 taking over the mission in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. However, it's a real-world risk that can have devastating consequences.
Agents Run Code and Need Isolation
Dan Phillips, systems engineer and founder of WebAssembly Chicago, explored this issue during his talk at Wasm I/O in Barcelona. He emphasized the importance of isolation for untrusted AI-generated code.
Containers Share a Kernel Problem
Several technologies are currently used to sandbox code, but they often rely on a shared kernel. Containers and microVMs like Firecracker offer some isolation but can be inefficient due to their reliance on a shared kernel.
WebAssembly Offers a Better Approach
Phillips argued that WebAssembly provides an alternative approach by starting from scratch and adding isolation as needed. This makes certain exploits unavailable by construction, reducing the risk of security breaches.
WebAssembly Isolation and Sandboxing
By using WebAssembly for AI-generated code, developers can ensure that untrusted code is properly isolated and sandboxed. This approach provides a more secure environment for agents to run in.