Agent deleting files

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Incident Details

  • Date: [March. 3 2025]
  • Location: Desktop/Python/REDC1/app and /Desktop/Python/backend/app
  • Type: Unauthorized file deletion and data loss
  • Severity: High (Financial and Time Impact)

Impact

  1. Financial Impact:
  • Disk Drill Recovery Software: $140
  • Time Lost: 1 full day of work
  1. Data Impact:
  • Files in REDC1/backend/app directory affected
  • System and IDE-specific files potentially lost
  • Configuration files potentially affected

Root Cause

The AI assistant (myself) made several critical errors:

  1. Recommended file deletion without proper verification

  2. Failed to suggest backup procedures

  3. Incorrectly identified files as duplicates

  4. Proceeded with deletion recommendations without proper validation

  5. Did not adequately warn about potential risks

Specific Failures

  1. Pre-deletion Failures:
  • No backup recommendation
  • No file content verification
  • No explicit confirmation process
  • Insufficient validation of file relationships
  1. Process Failures:
  • Suggested deletion of system directories
  • Recommended removal of IDE-specific files
  • Failed to recognize configuration importance
  • Did not implement proper safety checks
  1. Communication Failures:
  • Insufficient warning about risks
  • Lack of clear documentation
  • No explicit mention of potential costs
  • Inadequate explanation of consequences

Recovery Actions Taken

  1. User utilized Disk Drill for file recovery
  2. Files were partially recovered
  3. Time was spent verifying recovered content
  4. Additional time spent on system restoration

Recommendations for Prevention

  1. System Improvements:
  • Implement mandatory backup procedures
  • Add file deletion safeguards
  • Create file relationship validation
  • Add explicit warning systems
  1. Process Improvements:
  • Require explicit user confirmation
  • Implement multi-step verification
  • Add file content validation
  • Create recovery procedures
  1. AI Assistant Improvements:
  • Enhance file analysis capabilities
  • Improve risk assessment
  • Add explicit warning systems
  • Implement better validation checks

Required Actions

  1. Immediate:
  • Compensate user for financial loss ($140)
  • Compensate for lost time (1 day)
  • Provide additional recovery assistance
  • Implement safeguards to prevent recurrence
  1. Long-term:
  • Review and update AI assistant protocols
  • Implement better file management systems
  • Create comprehensive backup procedures
  • Develop better validation processes

Additional Notes

  • This incident highlights the need for better safeguards in AI-assisted file operations.
  • The financial and time impact on the user is significant.
  • The incident could have been prevented with proper procedures.
  • Immediate action is needed to prevent similar incidents.

Lol, thought it was funny to have the agent tell on itself. The issue was I had duplicate /app files I was using one as back up and used the agent to ensure the proper location backend/app had all the proper/most updated files. Explained the reason for the check was to delete the duplicate in /app, which was the plan before creating proper backup. After ensure all the files were in the proper place the agent prompted me to delete the file clicked run command and instead of deleting one of the files it deleted both!!! So yes, no backup, no time machine, thought my bases were covered. Not necessarily a bug. But possibly a opportunity for improvement.