MCP Dev Summit North America

To implement "Zero Trust", authorization must be enforced consistently across every layer: inside the agent, in the cloud (like MCP gateways and services), and down to the database. Each layer needs its own dynamic authorization decision engine, yet those decisions must remain aligned and explainable.

As AI agents become first-class actors in enterprise systems, traditional security models start to strain. This session examines how agentic workflows challenge today’s delegation mechanisms, especially when agents act autonomously, chain operations, or cross trust boundaries. We’ll explore where OAuth works well and where it falls short.

The session argues for centralized policy management using Cedar, decoupled from application code to prevent policy drift. It will introduce emerging governance models like GovOps, which treat policies, schemas, and authorization logic as managed assets with lifecycle controls and automated compliance. Attendees will leave with a practical ideas for secure agent delegation and governing agentic systems at scale.

The discussion frame is two narratives: a 15th century myth and a 2025 Apple TV mini-series based Martha Wells' books.