{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7204528241","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2608.27299","title":"When Context Gets Root: Privilege Escalation in LLM Harnesses","display_name":"When Context Gets Root: Privilege Escalation in LLM Harnesses","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-08-27","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7204528241","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2608.27299"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2608.27299","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.27299","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2608.27299","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"volume":null,"type":"preprint","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["arxiv","datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2608.27299","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5114195102","display_name":"Xingbang He","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I881766915","display_name":"Nanjing University","ror":"https://ror.org/01rxvg760","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"He, Xingbang","raw_affiliation_strings":["Nanjing University"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Nanjing University","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5123491220","display_name":"Yuanwei Chen","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I881766915","display_name":"Nanjing University","ror":"https://ror.org/01rxvg760","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Chen, Yuanwei","raw_affiliation_strings":["Nanjing University"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Nanjing University","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5123509705","display_name":"Yi Qian","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I881766915","display_name":"Nanjing University","ror":"https://ror.org/01rxvg760","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Qian, Yi","raw_affiliation_strings":["Nanjing University"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Nanjing University","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5123500922","display_name":"Haiyang Wei","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I881766915","display_name":"Nanjing University","ror":"https://ror.org/01rxvg760","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Wei, Haiyang","raw_affiliation_strings":["Nanjing University"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Nanjing University","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5016291611","display_name":"Ligeng Chen","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0076-3708","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0076-3708"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4405287589","display_name":"Honor Device (China)","ror":"https://ror.org/05m3v9803","country_code":"CN","type":"company","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4405287589"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Chen, Ligeng","raw_affiliation_strings":["Honor Device Co. , Ltd"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Honor Device Co. , Ltd","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I4405287589"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5058396261","display_name":"Zenan Fu","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3157-2047","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3157-2047"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I881766915","display_name":"Nanjing University","ror":"https://ror.org/01rxvg760","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Fu, Zenan","raw_affiliation_strings":["Nanjing University"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Nanjing University","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5090305216","display_name":"Linzhang Wang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4794-1652","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4794-1652"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I881766915","display_name":"Nanjing University","ror":"https://ror.org/01rxvg760","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Wang, Linzhang","raw_affiliation_strings":["Nanjing University"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Nanjing University","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5159979654","display_name":"Hao Wu","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I881766915","display_name":"Nanjing University","ror":"https://ror.org/01rxvg760","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Wu, Hao","raw_affiliation_strings":["Nanjing University"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Nanjing University","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5032564674","display_name":"Bing Mao","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7066-2144","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7066-2144"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I881766915","display_name":"Nanjing University","ror":"https://ror.org/01rxvg760","country_code":"CN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}],"countries":["CN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Mao, Bing","raw_affiliation_strings":["Nanjing University"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Nanjing University","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I881766915"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":2,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":1,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11689","display_name":"Adversarial Robustness in Machine Learning","score":0.7681000232696533,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11689","display_name":"Adversarial Robustness in Machine Learning","score":0.7681000232696533,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11424","display_name":"Security and Verification in Computing","score":0.20479999482631683,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1708","display_name":"Hardware and Architecture"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10927","display_name":"Access Control and Trust","score":0.007300000172108412,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1705","display_name":"Computer Networks and Communications"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/multi-agent-systems","display_name":"multi-agent systems","score":0.7440000176429749},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ai-coding-agents","display_name":"coding agents","score":0.7979999780654907},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/context-creation","display_name":"context construction","score":0.3840000033378601},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/remote-code-execution","display_name":"remote code execution","score":0.6919999718666077},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/scheduled-tasks","display_name":"scheduled tasks","score":0.8299999833106995},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ai-security-vulnerabilities","display_name":"AI security vulnerabilities","score":0.4000000059604645}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780138299","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3404265","display_name":"Privilege (computing)","level":2,"score":0.7597000002861023},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.6851999759674072},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779343474","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3109175","display_name":"Context (archaeology)","level":2,"score":0.6840999722480774},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780767217","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5532421","display_name":"Generality","level":2,"score":0.6323999762535095},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C38652104","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3510521","display_name":"Computer security","level":1,"score":0.629800021648407},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779089604","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7169333","display_name":"Permission","level":2,"score":0.49619999527931213},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780791683","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q846785","display_name":"Action (physics)","level":2,"score":0.4684999883174896},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780801425","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5164392","display_name":"Construct (python library)","level":2,"score":0.45159998536109924},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C31170391","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188619","display_name":"Hierarchy","level":2,"score":0.43320000171661377},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C95713431","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q631425","display_name":"Vulnerability (computing)","level":2,"score":0.4156999886035919},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108827166","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q175975","display_name":"Internet privacy","level":1,"score":0.41119998693466187},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776760102","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5139990","display_name":"Code (set theory)","level":3,"score":0.3628000020980835},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C48103436","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q599031","display_name":"State (computer science)","level":2,"score":0.32499998807907104},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778152352","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5165061","display_name":"Content (measure theory)","level":2,"score":0.30149999260902405},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2775924081","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55608371","display_name":"Control (management)","level":2,"score":0.2815999984741211},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778012447","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1034415","display_name":"Scope (computer science)","level":2,"score":0.27869999408721924},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777363581","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15098235","display_name":"Harm","level":2,"score":0.2721000015735626},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781238097","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q175026","display_name":"Object (grammar)","level":2,"score":0.2711000144481659},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C43126263","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q128751","display_name":"Source code","level":2,"score":0.26249998807907104},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77618280","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1155772","display_name":"Scheme (mathematics)","level":2,"score":0.258899986743927},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C136764020","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q466","display_name":"World Wide Web","level":1,"score":0.2529999911785126}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2608.27299","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.27299","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2608.27299","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2608.27299","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2608.27299","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2608.27299","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2608.27299","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.27299","pdf_url":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2608.27299","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"text"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":true,"pdf":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7204528241.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7204528241.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":25,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W4309395891","https://openalex.org/W4388886073","https://openalex.org/W4395064792","https://openalex.org/W4402670146","https://openalex.org/W4403810420","https://openalex.org/W4411119770","https://openalex.org/W4411119880","https://openalex.org/W4414835343","https://openalex.org/W4415331423","https://openalex.org/W4415796822","https://openalex.org/W4416050246","https://openalex.org/W7115947466","https://openalex.org/W7125166579","https://openalex.org/W7130711825","https://openalex.org/W7131819846","https://openalex.org/W7135043996","https://openalex.org/W7135214730","https://openalex.org/W7137330798","https://openalex.org/W7151084319","https://openalex.org/W7152717523","https://openalex.org/W7153991784","https://openalex.org/W7154068740","https://openalex.org/W7165053991","https://openalex.org/W7166886473","https://openalex.org/W7167802893"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W4395064792","https://openalex.org/W7206155803","https://openalex.org/W7153991784","https://openalex.org/W7135215352","https://openalex.org/W7154106924","https://openalex.org/W7221322818","https://openalex.org/W7164299835","https://openalex.org/W7165130941","https://openalex.org/W4414920221","https://openalex.org/W7213563890"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Instruction":[0],"hierarchy":[1],"is":[2],"a":[3,45,74],"model-side":[4],"defense":[5],"that":[6,151],"assigns":[7],"instructions":[8,87],"different":[9],"levels":[10,18],"of":[11,172],"privilege":[12,58,174],"according":[13],"to":[14,44,68,73,85,104],"their":[15,93],"sources.":[16],"These":[17,113,167],"constrain":[19],"which":[20],"content":[21,43,72,80],"may":[22],"direct":[23],"model":[24,36],"behavior.":[25],"During":[26],"agent":[27,30,67,84],"execution,":[28,126],"however,":[29],"harnesses":[31,150],"construct":[32],"context":[33],"for":[34],"each":[35],"invocation.":[37],"This":[38],"construction":[39],"can":[40],"elevate":[41,69],"low-level":[42,70],"higher":[46,75],"instruction":[47,57,76,173],"level":[48],"and":[49,119,164],"grant":[50],"it":[51,88],"greater":[52],"model-facing":[53],"privilege.":[54],"We":[55,96,155],"introduce":[56],"escalation.":[59,175],"In":[60],"this":[61,98,153],"attack,":[62],"an":[63,66],"attacker":[64],"induces":[65],"malicious":[71],"level.":[77,95],"The":[78],"elevated":[79],"then":[81],"causes":[82],"the":[83,127,141,158,170],"execute":[86],"would":[89],"not":[90],"follow":[91],"at":[92],"original":[94],"evaluate":[97],"threat":[99],"by":[100],"using":[101,160],"multi-agent":[102],"mechanisms":[103],"achieve":[105,129,143],"13":[106,131,145],"attack":[107],"objectives":[108,114,132,146],"across":[109],"six":[110,135],"coding-agent":[111],"harnesses.":[112,136],"span":[115],"confidentiality,":[116],"integrity,":[117],"availability,":[118],"remote":[120],"code":[121],"execution.":[122],"With":[123],"unrestricted":[124],"action":[125],"attacks":[128,142],"all":[130,134,144,148],"on":[133,147],"Under":[137],"automatic":[138],"permission":[139],"review,":[140],"three":[149],"provide":[152],"mode.":[154],"further":[156],"reproduce":[157],"vulnerability":[159],"harness-provided":[161],"persistent":[162],"goals":[163],"scheduled":[165],"tasks.":[166],"results":[168],"demonstrate":[169],"generality":[171]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2026,"cited_by_count":1}],"updated_date":"2026-11-07T11:25:07.637180","created_date":"2026-08-29T00:00:00"}