Visual Policy Builder
Overview
The Visual Policy Builder provides a no-code interface for creating, editing, and managing AI governance policies. Security teams can define complex policy rules through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface without writing code or understanding the underlying policy syntax.
Key Capabilities
- Drag-and-Drop Interface: Build policies visually without coding
- Real-Time Validation: Immediate feedback on policy validity
- Conflict Detection: Automatic identification of overlapping policies
- Template Library: Start from pre-built policy templates
- Preview Mode: See how policies will evaluate test scenarios
- Version History: Track all changes with rollback capability
- Collaboration: Share and review policies with team members
How It Works
Builder Interface Layout
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ VISUAL POLICY BUILDER │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ POLICY HEADER │ │
│ │ Name: [production-database-protection ] │ │
│ │ Description: [Protect prod DB from write operations ] │ │
│ │ Priority: [50] ▼ Status: [Draft] ▼ │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────┐ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ COMPONENTS │ │ POLICY CANVAS │ │
│ │ ───────────── │ │ │ │
│ │ ▢ Match Criteria │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ ├ Namespace │ │ │ WHEN (Match Criteria) │ │ │
│ │ ├ Resource │ │ │ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐│ │ │
│ │ ├ Action/Verb │ │ │ │Namespace│+│Resource │+│ Action ││ │ │
│ │ └ Server │ │ │ │database │ │prod.* │ │write* ││ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘│ │ │
│ │ ▢ Conditions │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ ├ Time Range │ │ │ │ │
│ │ ├ User Role │ │ ▼ │ │
│ │ ├ Environment │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ └ Risk Level │ │ │ AND (Conditions) │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ ┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐│ │ │
│ │ ▢ Actions │ │ │ │ Environment │+│ Risk >= 40 ││ │ │
│ │ ├ Allow │ │ │ │ = production │ │ ││ │ │
│ │ ├ Deny │ │ │ └───────────────┘ └───────────────┘│ │ │
│ │ ├ Require │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ Approval │ │ │ │ │
│ │ └ Escalate │ │ ▼ │ │
│ │ │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ ▢ Notifications │ │ │ THEN (Action) │ │ │
│ │ ├ Email │ │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────┐│ │ │
│ │ ├ Slack │ │ │ │ REQUIRE_APPROVAL ││ │ │
│ │ └ Webhook │ │ │ │ Approval Level: 3 ││ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ Timeout: 1 hour ││ │ │
│ └────────────────────┘ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────┘│ │ │
│ │ └─────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ [Cancel] [Save Draft] [Test Policy] [Deploy] │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Building a Policy
Step 1: Create New Policy
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ◉ Start from scratch │
│ ○ Use template: [Select Template ▼] │
│ ○ Clone existing: [Select Policy ▼] │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Step 2: Define Match Criteria (WHEN)
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ This policy applies when: │
│ │
│ Namespace: [database ] ▼ │
│ □ Use pattern matching │
│ │
│ Resource: [production.* ] │
│ ☑ Use pattern matching │
│ │
│ Action: [☑ insert ☑ update ☑ delete ]│
│ [□ read □ query □ list ]│
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Step 3: Add Conditions (AND)
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Additional requirements: │
│ │
│ ☑ Environment │
│ [production ▼] │
│ │
│ □ Time Range │
│ From [09:00] to [17:00] [UTC ▼] │
│ │
│ □ User Role │
│ [Select role ▼] │
│ │
│ ☑ Risk Score │
│ [>=] [40] │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Step 4: Set Action (THEN)
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ When matched, take this action: │
│ │
│ ○ ALLOW - Permit immediately │
│ ○ DENY - Block with message │
│ ◉ REQUIRE_APPROVAL - Queue for review │
│ ○ ESCALATE - Route to senior approvers │
│ │
│ Approval Settings: │
│ Level: [3 - Manager ▼] │
│ Timeout: [1] [hour ▼] │
│ Escalate if no response: [☑] │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Step 5: Configure Notifications
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Notify when this policy triggers: │
│ │
│ ☑ Email: [security-team@company.com] │
│ ☑ Slack: [#security-alerts ▼] │
│ □ Webhook: [https://...] │
│ □ PagerDuty: [Select service ▼] │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Configuration
Match Criteria Options
| Criteria | Description | Pattern Support |
|---|---|---|
| Namespace | Tool/action category | Exact, Wildcard |
| Resource | Target resource identifier | Exact, Wildcard, Regex |
| Action/Verb | Operation being performed | Multi-select |
| Server | MCP server or agent ID | Exact, Wildcard |
| User | Acting user or service | Exact, Role-based |
Condition Options
| Condition | Description | Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Environment | Deployment environment | production, staging, development |
| Time Range | When policy applies | Start/end time, timezone, days |
| User Role | Required user role | Role selector |
| Risk Score | Risk threshold | Operator (>=, <=, =), value |
| Agent Type | Type of agent | autonomous, supervised, etc. |
| Data Classification | Data sensitivity | public, internal, confidential, etc. |
Action Options
| Action | Description | Additional Settings |
|---|---|---|
| ALLOW | Immediate approval | None |
| DENY | Block action | Denial message |
| REQUIRE_APPROVAL | Queue for review | Level, timeout, escalation |
| ESCALATE | Senior review | Level, timeout, urgency |
Usage Examples
Example 1: Production Write Protection
Create a policy that requires manager approval for write operations to production databases.
Visual Configuration:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Policy: production-write-protection │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ WHEN: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Namespace: [database] │ │
│ │ AND │ │
│ │ Action: [insert] [update] [delete] [alter] │ │
│ │ AND │ │
│ │ Resource: [production.*] OR [prod.*] │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ AND: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Environment: [production] │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ THEN: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Action: REQUIRE_APPROVAL │ │
│ │ Level: 3 (Manager) │ │
│ │ Timeout: 60 minutes │ │
│ │ Notify: #database-alerts │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Example 2: PII Data Access Control
Create a policy that blocks non-compliance team members from accessing PII data.
Visual Configuration:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Policy: pii-access-restriction │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ WHEN: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Resource: [*pii*] OR [*personal*] OR [*ssn*] OR [*credit_card*] │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ AND: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ User Role: NOT IN [compliance, security-admin, legal] │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ THEN: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Action: DENY │ │
│ │ Message: "PII access restricted to compliance team members" │ │
│ │ Notify: security-team@company.com │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Example 3: After-Hours Restrictions
Create a policy that requires additional approval for operations outside business hours.
Visual Configuration:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Policy: after-hours-restriction │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ WHEN: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ All actions (no specific filter) │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ AND: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Time Range: OUTSIDE [09:00] to [17:00] [America/New_York] │ │
│ │ OR │ │
│ │ Day: Saturday OR Sunday │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ AND: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Risk Score: >= 30 │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ THEN: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Action: ESCALATE │ │
│ │ Level: 4 (Senior Manager) │ │
│ │ Timeout: 30 minutes │ │
│ │ Notify: on-call-security@company.com, PagerDuty │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Example 4: Autonomous Agent Restrictions
Create a policy that applies stricter controls to autonomous agents.
Visual Configuration:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Policy: autonomous-agent-controls │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ WHEN: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Agent Type: [autonomous] │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ AND: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Risk Score: >= 50 │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ THEN: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Action: REQUIRE_APPROVAL │ │
│ │ ☑ Require dual approval │ │
│ │ Level: 2 (Team Lead) │ │
│ │ Timeout: 15 minutes │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Best Practices
Visual Builder Tips
- Start with Templates: Use pre-built templates as starting points
- Test Incrementally: Test each condition before adding more
- Use Preview Mode: Verify behavior with test scenarios
- Name Clearly: Use descriptive names that explain policy purpose
- Document Intent: Add descriptions explaining why the policy exists
Pattern Matching Guidelines
| Pattern | Use When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Exact | Specific resource | production.customers |
| Prefix wildcard | Resource category | production.* |
| Suffix wildcard | Resource type | *.credentials |
| Contains | Any match | *pii* |
| Multi-value | Multiple options | [insert, update, delete] |
Priority Best Practices
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Priority 1-25: CRITICAL SECURITY │
│ - Emergency blocks │
│ - Compliance-required denials │
│ - PII/PHI protection │
│ │
│ Priority 26-50: HIGH IMPORTANCE │
│ - Production protection │
│ - Admin operation controls │
│ - Data classification enforcement │
│ │
│ Priority 51-75: STANDARD BUSINESS │
│ - Department-specific rules │
│ - Time-based restrictions │
│ - Role-based access │
│ │
│ Priority 76-100: DEFAULT BEHAVIORS │
│ - Catch-all approval workflows │
│ - Logging-only policies │
│ - Notification triggers │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Testing Workflow
- Save as Draft: Create and save policy in draft state
- Run Test Scenarios: Use test mode with sample actions
- Review Conflicts: Check conflict detection results
- Deploy to Testing: Enable in dry-run mode
- Monitor Behavior: Review audit logs for expected matches
- Deploy to Production: Activate for enforcement
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Impact | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Overly broad patterns | Too many matches | Use specific patterns |
| Low priority for critical rules | Rules may be overridden | Use low priority numbers |
| Missing conditions | Unintended scope | Add environment/role filters |
| No notifications | Missed alerts | Always add notifications |
| Not testing | Unexpected behavior | Always use test mode first |
Related
- Policy Engine Overview - Engine architecture
- Policy Concepts - Core concepts
- Policy Templates - Pre-built templates
- Policy Testing - Testing and dry-run
- Risk Scoring - Risk calculations
Compliance
The Visual Policy Builder supports compliance with:
- SOC 2 CC6.1: Logical access controls
- SOC 2 CC8.1: Change management
- PCI-DSS 7.1: Access control policy
- NIST 800-53 AC-1: Access control policy
- HIPAA 164.312: Access controls