Connector governance & security

Connectors represent the primary operational boundary where AI workers interact with live enterprise data. Because connectors provide access to internal software systems, establishing strict administrative governance and security controls across these links is essential for maintaining data integrity and compliance.

Connector controls are one part of your wider AI policy. For how policy is set and enforced across the platform, see the Governance framework.

Approved connectors and access control

In an enterprise deployment, system access is explicitly controlled and monitored by IT administrators:

Curated connection directory — administrators decide which specific software connectors are approved for active use across the organization.
Targeted access grants — connectors are assigned on a least-privilege basis to authorized agents, workflows, and individual user roles. See the Capability matrix for what each role may do.
Restricted personal connections — team members can only link personal software applications or individual accounts if explicitly permitted by workspace policies.

This structured approval process keeps the number of active access points into company systems small, transparent, and fully documented.

Secure authentication architecture

Connectors use each software platform’s native, standard authentication protocols, such as OAuth 2.0 or secure API tokens:

Delegated access — Rival Enterprise holds token-based, scoped authorization rather than storing raw passwords or plain-text credentials. See Secrets.
Organization-level authorization — shared business applications, such as CRM or ERP systems, should be authenticated at the organization level using dedicated service accounts.
Continuity — centralizing system connections prevents active integrations from breaking when individual employees change roles or leave the company.

Connector security best practices

Adhering to four core administrative practices ensures system access remains secure over time:

Principle of least privilege — grant each agent or workflow access only to the specific connectors required to perform its assigned task.
Standardize on organization-level links — use central enterprise connections for core operational software rather than individual employee logins.
Conduct regular access audits — periodically review active system connectors and revoke grants that are no longer actively used in production workflows.
Monitor execution telemetry — review detailed connector queries, read actions, and write events recorded inside central activity logs. See Audit logs.

A quick example: securing financial system access

Consider an enterprise finance group managing access to an accounting database:

Restricted integration — the IT administrator configures a connector to the accounting system using a secure enterprise service account.
Exclusive assignment — access is granted strictly to two vetted financial reporting agents. Personal account links and general employee access are disabled completely.
Governed expansion — if a developer builds a new agent that requires accounting data, the agent cannot access the system automatically. The developer must submit an in-app access request for administrative review. See Approval workflows.

The accounting database remains accessible strictly to pre-approved workloads, protecting sensitive financial data.

Connector governance checklist

Governance control	Primary action	Security outcome
Catalog approval	Restrict active connectors to admin-vetted tools	Prevents unmonitored third-party system connections
Least-privilege grants	Assign connectors strictly to required agents	Eliminates unnecessary cross-system data exposure
Centralized authentication	Authenticate via enterprise OAuth / service accounts	Secures API tokens and ensures continuity during staff changes
Audit log tracking	Review real-time connector queries and write events	Provides full compliance visibility for IT security teams

Next steps

Set up external software links → Connecting your systems
Explore foundational connector concepts → What connectors are
Monitor execution telemetry and system logs → Governance framework