| name | assumption-cascade |
| description | Tactic: Surface assumptions, sort by dependency, attack root assumptions first, then trace cascade failures through the dependency graph. |
| type | tactic |
| strategies | ["assumption-challenge","systematic-probing","groupthink-mitigation"] |
| dependencies | {"sops":["assumption-cascade-tracer","devils-advocacy","finding-aggregation","key-assumptions-check","probe-execution"]} |
Assumption Cascade Tactic
Attack assumptions at their roots and trace how failures propagate through dependency chains.
Orchestration
- key-assumptions-check surfaces all assumptions (explicit and implicit)
- assumption-cascade-tracer builds dependency graph (which assumptions depend on which)
- Root assumptions identified (those with no upstream dependencies)
- devils-advocacy constructs strongest attack against each root assumption
- probe-execution tests root assumptions — if root fails, trace downstream cascade
- assumption-cascade-tracer maps full cascade: which conclusions collapse if root fails
- finding-aggregation reports cascade paths and total impact scope
Subagents Dispatched
- key-assumptions-check (1 call for enumeration)
- assumption-cascade-tracer (2 calls: dependency build + cascade trace)
- devils-advocacy (1 call per root assumption)
- probe-execution (1 call per root attack)
- finding-aggregation (1 call at end)
Termination Conditions
- All root assumptions tested (budget permitting)
- Cascade found that invalidates >50% of conclusions (critical finding)
- All assumptions survive attack (artifact resilient at assumption level)
- Budget exhausted (report partial coverage)
Available SOPs
Optional, no fixed order; the final leaf is always a sop.
| SOP | When to use |
|---|
| assumption-cascade-tracer | Build assumption dependency graphs and trace cascade failures when root assumptions are invalidated. |
| devils-advocacy | Construct the strongest possible counter-argument against a position, steelmanning the opposition before attacking. |
| finding-aggregation | Aggregate, deduplicate, and classify findings from multiple probes into a coherent vulnerability report. |
| key-assumptions-check | Military ACT: systematically enumerate all assumptions, classify by type, and evaluate evidence strength supporting each. |
| probe-execution | Execute a single attack probe against an artifact, record the result with evidence and severity classification. |