Cowork can reach your files through several different paths: uploaded files, local folders, cloud connectors, browser access, direct computer use, and plugins. Each path carries a different risk profile. Granting the widest access for convenience is how things go wrong. The principle of least privilege means giving Cowork only the access the specific task needs , nothing broader, nothing extra. Before starting any task, you should be able to answer: what can Cowork read, write, send, delete, or schedule with the access I just granted?

Dorothy Denning developed foundational work in information flow security , tracing how data moves between systems and what happens when that movement crosses an inappropriate boundary. Her framework maps directly onto a Cowork connector: the question is not just whether Cowork can read a document, but where that document's content flows afterward.