realvco Docs

Container ROOT Access with Time Limits

Added April 2026. The settings page for Rose, Ada, and Vi now has a new “ROOT Access” switch — you can grant the host root privilege to one of these containers with a time limit, and the system revokes it automatically when the limit expires.

Why this exists

You used to have only two options — either let Rose handle anything host-related (but you didn’t really want Rose touching everything), or SSH into the host at midnight to change a setting yourself (and then forget what permission to revoke later). Neither felt right.

The original setup was:

  • Rose always has Host Root (can touch anything on the host)
  • Ada and Vi are confined to their own containers

But real usage hits cases like:

  • Vi (the technical advisor) wants to run a one-off system maintenance script and needs host privilege
  • Ada (the special assistant) needs to help you move things across containers and needs brief host access
  • You’re working on a project where Vi has to handle host files — but only for a few days

The new approach — grant Ada or Vi a time-limited root privilege that the system revokes on expiry — is safer and more convenient. The key phrase is “auto-revoked”: you don’t have to remember to turn it off, set a calendar reminder, or check back later. When the timer hits zero, it’s clean.

Where to find it

Each container’s tab (Rose Dashboard / Ada Dashboard / Vi Dashboard) has a Settings page. Scroll down to find the “ROOT Access Control” section.

[Screenshot: Vi Dashboard → Settings → ROOT Access Control section]

Five time-limit options (including the default “Off”)

OptionBest for
OffDefault. Container is confined to its own workspace; cannot touch the host
6 hours”Fixing a bug tonight, must be done before I wake up tomorrow”
24 hours”Running a long task or data analysis — might need overnight”
72 hours”Want to try a new MCP server this weekend, all clean by Monday morning”
30 days”I’m on a new project this month and need Vi to help with host work the whole time”

Pick one and confirm — it takes effect immediately.

What you’ll see when enabled

  • The container’s title bar shows a red [ROOT] badge
  • The home page header shows red text: “Currently has Host Root privilege”
  • A countdown shows the remaining time (e.g. “5 days 23 hours left”)
  • Why red? — to remind you the container is currently in a “dangerous state” and you should be more careful

[Screenshot: Vi container with red ROOT badge and home page red-text warning]

What happens at expiry

  1. The system checks every minute for ROOT-access expirations across all containers
  2. Once expired, root privilege is revoked immediately
  3. The container continues operating normally — it just no longer has host access
  4. The revocation does not interrupt conversations; you typically won’t notice if nothing host-level is happening

When it expires, admin-panel writes an entry to the audit log.

Audit Log — Who Opened What, When

Every ROOT-access enable, disable, and expiry event is fully logged:

  • Who opened it (which admin-panel operator)
  • When it was opened
  • Which container received the privilege
  • How long the time limit was
  • When it expired / when it was revoked early

Find these in admin-panel’s logs page. For customers with corporate governance or audit requirements, this log serves as evidence.

Common scenarios

Vi runs one-off system maintenance

Open for 6 hours → run the maintenance script → auto-revoke

Short debugging on host issue

Open for 24 hours → trace it again next morning → auto-revoke

Weekend project needs Ada's help

Open for 72 hours → back to normal by Monday

Long-term maintenance role

Open for 30 days → set a calendar reminder → reassess before expiry

Safety reminder

Granting ROOT access means this AI container can touch anything on the host — install software, change system config, read all files, delete data. This means:

  • Mistakes by the AI when executing your instructions are now amplified
  • If the container is compromised, the attacker also gains host privilege
  • Understand this risk before enabling. Don’t leave it on long-term just because it’s “more convenient”

Strongly recommended: before enabling ROOT, head to Advanced → Restore Points and create a restore point. If something goes wrong, you can roll back with one click.

Why doesn’t Rose have this switch?

Rose is the default Host Root role — that’s a core part of realvco’s design: “there is one all-capable manager”. Rose’s privilege is permanent and doesn’t need a time limit.

ROOT-access time limits are designed for Ada (oc-2) and Vi (hm-3) — 4 enabled durations (6 hours / 24 hours / 72 hours / 30 days) plus the default “Off”, giving you 5 options total. Grant when you need it; the system revokes when time’s up.