assumption-cascade

---
name: assumption-cascade
description: "Tactic: Surface assumptions, sort by dependency, attack root assumptions first, then trace cascade failures through the dependency graph."
type: tactic
used-by: [red-teaming]
strategies: [assumption-challenge, systematic-probing, groupthink-mitigation]
---

# Assumption Cascade Tactic

Attack assumptions at their roots and trace how failures propagate through dependency chains.

## Orchestration

1. **key-assumptions-check** surfaces all assumptions (explicit and implicit)
2. **assumption-cascade-tracer** builds dependency graph (which assumptions depend on which)
3. Root assumptions identified (those with no upstream dependencies)
4. **devils-advocacy** constructs strongest attack against each root assumption
5. **probe-execution** tests root assumptions — if root fails, trace downstream cascade
6. **assumption-cascade-tracer** maps full cascade: which conclusions collapse if root fails
7. **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)