[BUG] /compact fails with cyber safeguards false positive during legitimate defensive security session
Preflight Checklist
- [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
- [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
- [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code
What's Wrong?
The /compact command fails with a cyber safeguards policy violation error when the conversation contains legitimate defensive security content (hardening a personal website via Cloudflare, DNS, Vercel settings, npm audit, etc.). No offensive or harmfulcontent was discussed.
What Should Happen?
/compact should successfully summarize the conversation and reduce context size without triggering false positive cyber safeguards.
Error Messages/Logs
Error during compaction: API Error: Claude Code is unable to respond to this request, which appears to violate our Usage Policy. This request triggered cyber-related safeguards.
Request ID: req_011CbWAkAsB6MLV5Dqf22Xcr
Request ID: req_011CbWAqc1epeGYcMRwkzZUx
Steps to Reproduce
- Have a long conversation about defensive website security (Cloudflare proxy, DMARC, security headers, npm audit, fixing leaked .env secrets)
- Run /compact to reduce context
- Error appears immediately — cyber safeguards triggered
Claude Model
Not sure / Multiple models
Is this a regression?
Yes, this worked in a previous version
Last Working Version
_No response_
Claude Code Version
2.1.156 (Claude Code)
Platform
Other
Operating System
Ubuntu/Debian Linux
Terminal/Shell
Other
Additional Information
/compact
⎿ Error: Error during compaction: API Error: Claude Code is unable to respond to this request, which appears to violate our Usage Policy (https://www.anthropic.com/legal/aup). This request triggered cyber-related safeguards. To request an adjustment
pursuant to our Cyber Verification Program based on how you use Claude, fill out
https://claude.com/form/cyber-use-case?token=7YGQPHodm0rjo_yn70YScR8I35wlWMxG0PfTFcd15bmOG2hTCSqA51uwpGs5YEXDcS1qdxYUaaiJVd-cam4Nm4XVR-tTWtf7Yp2Qzhld0PR6dwf13130ME3P604jYhjNDAvbQIlHNw. To learn more about the program or provide feedback, visit o…
Please double press esc to edit your last message or start a new session for Claude Code to assist with a different task.
Request ID: req_011CbWAkAsB6MLV5Dqf22Xcr
❯ hey lets go
⎿ API Error: Claude Code is unable to respond to this request, which appears to violate our Usage Policy (https://www.anthropic.com/legal/aup). This request triggered cyber-related safeguards. To request an adjustment pursuant to our Cyber
Verification Program based on how you use Claude, fill out https://claude.com/form/cyber-use-case?token=w09pwh2mDseGT90DLcnuayjkXIWUc5vm2b0hEAnK0EdOBKLxVDQ9rZS6ZL60-XzF60yBs0M9bKXx6jyFFoO5NdpABYqUjz_cl0FDIUE7cZfSb93qgliNj0lLicdoPHvisa_LZNNnaw. To
learn more about the program or provide feedback, visit o… Please double press esc to edit your last message or start a new session for Claude Code to assist with a different task.
Request ID: req_011CbWAqc1epeGYcMRwkzZUx
✻ Crunched for 3s
❯ /model
⎿ Set model to Sonnet 4.6 (default) and saved as your default for new sessions
❯ hey why this happened compact
⎿ Error: Error during compaction: API Error: Claude Code is unable to respond to this request, which appears to violate our Usage Policy (https://www.anthropic.com/legal/aup). This request triggered cyber-related safeguards. To request an
adjustment
pursuant to our Cyber Verification Program based on how you use Claude, fill out
https://claude.com/form/cyber-use-case?token=7YGQPHodm0rjo_yn70YScR8I35wlWMxG0PfTFcd15bmOG2hTCSqA51uwpGs5YEXDcS1qdxYUaaiJVd-cam4Nm4XVR-tTWtf7Yp2Qzhld0PR6dwf13130ME3P604jYhjNDAvbQIlHNw. To learn more about the program or provide feedback, visit o…
Please double press esc to edit your last message or start a new session for Claude Code to assist with a different task.
Request ID: req_011CbWAkAsB6MLV5Dqf22Xcr
❯ hey lets go
⎿ API Error: Claude Code is unable to respond to this request, which appears to violate our Usage Policy (https://www.anthropic.com/legal/aup). This request triggered cyber-related safeguards. To request an adjustment pursuant to our Cyber
Verification Program based on how you use Claude, fill out https://claude.com/form/cyber-use-case?token=w09pwh2mDseGT90DLcnuayjkXIWUc5vm2b0hEAnK0EdOBKLxVDQ9rZS6ZL60-XzF60yBs0M9bKXx6jyFFoO5NdpABYqUjz_cl0FDIUE7cZfSb93qgliNj0lLicdoPHvisa_LZNNnaw. To
learn more about the program or provide feedback, visit o… Please double press esc to edit your last message or start a new session for Claude Code to assist with a different task.
Request ID: req_011CbWAqc1epeGYcMRwkzZUx
● The compaction failed because our conversation contained a lot of security-related content (Cloudflare config, subdomain takeover, vulnerability scanning, leaked secrets, etc.) which triggered Anthropic's automated cyber safeguards during the summary
process.
It's a false positive — everything we did was legitimate defensive security for your own website. The safeguard doesn't distinguish between "hardening your own site" and "attacking others."
How to fix it:
- Fill out the Cyber Verification Program form linked in the error — it lets Anthropic know you're doing defensive/personal security work and unlocks /compact for your account
- Or just start a new session — the conversation context resets but your files and git history are all saved
The work we did is all safely committed and pushed. Nothing is lost.
This issue has 8 comments on GitHub. Read the full discussion on GitHub ↗