Claude Code Permission Audit Checklist: Safe Settings Before Real Work

Permission audits make Claude Code easier to trust

Claude Code becomes expensive when every action feels uncertain. A permission audit turns that uncertainty into a short operating profile: what the agent can read, what it can edit, what needs approval, and what must never happen.

Use this after the first 30 minutes checklist and before deeper setup work in the CLAUDE.md starter template. The goal is not bureaucracy. The goal is to make the next useful task safe enough to finish.

Create one permission profile

Do not start with a long policy document. Start with a profile Claude Code can actually use during the session.

claude_code_permission_profile:
  workspace: "repo only"
  allowed_without_approval:
    - "read files"
    - "run tests"
    - "edit content files"
  ask_first:
    - "install packages"
    - "change auth or billing code"
    - "deploy production"
  never_allow:
    - "print secrets"
    - "delete git history"
    - "rotate keys without owner approval"
definition_of_done:
  - "git diff reviewed"
  - "proof command captured"
  - "rollback note written"

The important part is the definition of done. A safe permission setup still fails if nobody reviews the diff, runs proof, or writes a rollback note.

Example: a content site with revenue paths

For a multilingual content site, article MDX, CTA copy, and product page descriptions are usually low-risk. Form handlers, billing links, analytics tags, and deploy settings deserve an approval gate because they touch leads, money, or production behavior.

Audit this repository before implementation.
Return:
1. commands that are safe to run
2. files that are safe to edit
3. actions that need approval
4. the smallest useful task we can finish today
5. the verification command and rollback note

This prompt makes Claude Code propose a bounded task before implementation. Good candidates include improving a bottom CTA, checking a free PDF path, tightening Gumroad copy, or clarifying one consultation route.

Failure case: granting everything on day one

The common failure is allowing package installs, auth edits, production deploys, and secret-related work in the same first session. Speed feels good until the rollback path disappears.

Another failure is writing only prohibitions. “Do not expose secrets” is necessary but incomplete. You also need proof: build output, tests, public URL checks, form behavior, and correct Gumroad links.

A 15-minute audit routine

1. Run “git status —short” before the session.
2. Name editable directories and protected directories.
3. Separate commands that are safe now from commands that require approval.
4. Capture the proof command and rollback note before calling the task done.

This routine gives reviewers a concrete record. They can challenge the risk boundary instead of guessing what Claude Code was allowed to do.

Revenue path

Start with the free cheatsheet if you still need command recall. Buy the Setup Guide if permissions, CLAUDE.md, hooks, or MCP setup are the blocker. Use consultation when team rollout, production approval, or revenue operations need a human walkthrough.