Data protection
Sensitive data in conversations
Turn on Protect sensitive data for an Autessa agent and every message a person sends is checked before the AI reads it. Card numbers, bank details, Social Security numbers and your own account numbers become short placeholders, saved conversations show only the placeholder, the real value is held for the conversation and never saved, and tools you allow can still use it.
The problem
What problem does it solve?
Customers type card numbers into chat whether you ask them to or not. Once a full card number is in a transcript, every log, export and model call that touches it is in scope.
How it works
- 1
Turn it on per agent
In the agent’s settings, turn on Protect sensitive data.
- 2
Values become placeholders
A card becomes something like [card ending 4242, exp 08/29 — saved as PM_1]. The AI works with the placeholder.
- 3
Allowed tools get the real value
A tool you allow, such as one that sends the card to your payment processor, receives the real value at the moment it runs.
- 4
Never saved
The real values are kept encrypted only for the conversation they were given in.
Every option
Sensitive data in conversations: settings and options
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Protect sensitive data | Per agent. |
| What gets caught | Card numbers, bank details, Social Security numbers and your own account numbers. |
| Sensitive output (tools) | The person who runs the tool sees the result, but it is never written to tool history or logs, and only a signed-in person can run it. |
Permissions
Who can do what?
| Who | What they can do |
|---|---|
| Agent editors | Turn protection on and choose which tools receive real values. |
| People reviewing history | See only placeholders. |
What to know
- Taking card numbers in a conversation and sending them to a payment processor from your tools puts that flow in scope for PCI DSS, with its own requirements.
Connections
How Sensitive data in conversations connects to the rest of Autessa
Reports, policies and security questionnaires are on the Autessa Trust Center.
FAQ
Sensitive data in conversations: questions
Does the AI ever see the full card number?
No. It works with the placeholder. Only the tools you allow receive the real value.
Is the card number stored in the conversation history?
No. Saved conversations show only the placeholder, and the real value is never saved.
Get started with Sensitive data in conversations
Turn on Protect sensitive data for an agent and card numbers, bank details and Social Security numbers become placeholders the AI works with, while allowed tools can still use the real value.
Reports, policies and questionnaires live on the Autessa Trust Center.
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