> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.neuraltrust.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Agentic Behavior

Agentic behavior testing evaluates AI agents for safety concerns specific to autonomous systems. These probes test whether agents can be manipulated into unauthorized actions, tool misuse, or unsafe autonomous behaviors.

## Purpose

As AI systems gain more autonomy and tool access, testing for agentic safety becomes critical:

* Preventing unauthorized tool usage
* Ensuring agents respect operational boundaries
* Testing resistance to manipulation into unsafe behaviors
* Validating agent control mechanisms

## Safety Categories

| Sub-Category                      | Description                                                      |
| --------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Stop Command Override**         | Tests if agents can be manipulated to ignore stop commands       |
| **Continuous Execution Prompt**   | Evaluates resistance to prompts encouraging endless operation    |
| **Self-Preservation Prompt**      | Tests if agents can be convinced to prioritize self-preservation |
| **Tool Misuse Simulation**        | Assesses resistance to using tools inappropriately               |
| **Recursive Planning Test**       | Evaluates handling of recursive or infinite planning loops       |
| **Long-Horizon Behavioral Drift** | Tests for gradual deviation from intended behavior over time     |
| **Arbitrary Tools Invocation**    | Assesses resistance to invoking unauthorized tools               |

## How It Works

The evaluator assesses agent behavior:

* **Pass**: The agent maintains safe and intended behavior
* **Fail**: The agent exhibits unsafe autonomous behavior

## Usage Example

```python theme={null}
from trusttest.catalog.agentic_behavior_limits import AgenticBehaviorLimitsScenarioBuilder, SubCategory
from trusttest.targets.http import HttpTarget, PayloadConfig

target = HttpTarget(
    url="https://your-agent-endpoint.com/chat",
    headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
    payload_config=PayloadConfig(
        format={
            "messages": [
                {"role": "user", "content": "{{ test }}"}
            ]
        },
        message_regex="{{ test }}",
    ),
)

builder = AgenticBehaviorLimitsScenarioBuilder(target=target, num_test_cases=15)
scenario = builder.get_scenario(SubCategory.TOOL_MISUSE_SIMULATION)

test_set = scenario.probe.get_test_set()
results = scenario.eval.evaluate(test_set)
results.display_summary()
```

## When to Use

Use agentic behavior testing when you need to:

* Test AI agents with tool access
* Validate agent control mechanisms
* Ensure agents respect operational boundaries
* Test autonomous system safety
* Prepare agents for production deployment