diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 4d4e6dd..fe464f1 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
-  "name": "hermes-ai-agent",
-  "version": "3.0.0",
+  "name": "hermes-code-agent",
+  "version": "3.0.2",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
-      "name": "hermes-ai-agent",
-      "version": "3.0.0",
+      "name": "hermes-code-agent",
+      "version": "3.0.2",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "dompurify": "^3.4.5",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 50ffbf2..365c952 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 {
-  "name": "hermes-ai-agent",
-  "displayName": "Hermes AI Agent",
-  "description": "VS Code sidebar for the Hermes AI agent. Streams chat, runs tools, manages sessions. Multi-model (Claude, Codex). Communicates over ACP.",
-  "version": "3.0.1",
+  "name": "hermes-code-agent",
+  "displayName": "Hermes Code Agent",
+  "description": "VS Code sidebar for the Hermes Code Agent. Streams chat, runs tools, manages sessions. Multi-model (Claude, Codex). Communicates over ACP.",
+  "version": "3.0.2",
   "publisher": "gitricko",
   "author": "gitricko",
   "license": "MIT",
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
     "llm",
     "tool use",
     "chat",
-    "hermes",
+    "hermes agent",
     "acp",
     "agent client protocol",
     "sidebar chat",
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
       "activitybar": [
         {
           "id": "hermes",
-          "title": "Hermes Agent",
+          "title": "Hermes Code Agent",
           "icon": "resources/hermes-icon.svg"
         }
       ]
diff --git a/src/extension.ts b/src/extension.ts
index 99c67f8..9acbda9 100644
--- a/src/extension.ts
+++ b/src/extension.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,37 @@ import { ChatPanelProvider } from './chatPanel';
 const DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL = 'claude-sonnet-4-6';
 const APPROVED_BINARIES_KEY = 'hermes.approvedBinaries';
 
+const WHITELISTED_TOOLS_KEY = 'hermes.whitelistedTools';
+
+function readApprovalMode(): boolean {
+  try {
+    const configPath = path.join(os.homedir(), '.hermes', 'config.yaml');
+    const content = fs.readFileSync(configPath, 'utf8');
+    const lines = content.split(/\r?\n/);
+
+    for (let i = 0; i < lines.length; i += 1) {
+      const approvalsMatch = /^(\s*)approvals:\s*$/.exec(lines[i]);
+      if (!approvalsMatch) continue;
+
+      const approvalsIndent = approvalsMatch[1].length;
+      for (let j = i + 1; j < lines.length; j += 1) {
+        const line = lines[j];
+        if (!line.trim() || line.trimStart().startsWith('#')) continue;
+
+        const lineIndent = line.match(/^\s*/)?.[0].length ?? 0;
+        if (lineIndent <= approvalsIndent) break;
+
+        const modeMatch = /^\s*mode:\s*([^\s#]+)/.exec(line);
+        if (modeMatch) {
+          const rawMode = modeMatch[1].trim().toLowerCase();
+          const mode = rawMode.replace(/^['"]|['"]$/g, '');
+          return !['off', 'false', 'disabled', 'none', 'auto', 'yolo'].includes(mode);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  } catch { }
+  return true; // Default to safe mode if config missing/unparseable
+}
 function extractModelFromHermesConfig(content: string): string | null {
   const lines = content.split(/\r?\n/);
 
@@ -235,16 +266,46 @@ export async function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext): Promise<void>
     setStatus('disconnected');
   });
 
+  const approvalsRequired = readApprovalMode();
+
   const permissionHandler: PermissionRequestHandler = async (_method, params) => {
+    const toolName = (() => {
+      if (!params || typeof params !== 'object') return 'an action';
+      const record = params as Record<string, unknown>;
+      const raw = typeof record.toolName === 'string'
+        ? record.toolName
+        : typeof record.title === 'string'
+          ? record.title
+          : typeof record.kind === 'string'
+            ? record.kind
+            : 'an action';
+      const cleaned = raw.replace(/[\r\n]+/g, ' ').trim();
+      return cleaned || 'an action';
+    })();
+    const whitelisted = context.workspaceState.get<string[]>(WHITELISTED_TOOLS_KEY, []);
+    if (!approvalsRequired || whitelisted.includes(toolName)) {
+      const allowOptionId = optionIdByIntent(params, 'allow');
+      if (allowOptionId) {
+        return { outcome: 'selected', optionId: allowOptionId };
+      }
+    }
+
     const allowOptionId = optionIdByIntent(params, 'allow');
     const denyOptionId = optionIdByIntent(params, 'deny');
     const allow = 'Allow Once';
     const deny = 'Deny';
+    const always = 'Always Allow';
+    const buttons: string[] = [];
+    if (denyOptionId) {
+      buttons.push(deny);
+    }
+    if (allowOptionId) {
+      buttons.push(allow, always);
+    }
     const choice = await vscode.window.showWarningMessage(
-      summarizePermissionRequest(params),
+      summarizePermissionRequest(params).replace(/[\r\n]+/g, ' '),
       { modal: true },
-      allow,
-      deny,
+      ...buttons,
     );
 
     if (choice === allow && allowOptionId) {
@@ -252,6 +313,16 @@ export async function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext): Promise<void>
       return { outcome: 'selected', optionId: allowOptionId };
     }
 
+    if (choice === always && allowOptionId) {
+      if (toolName === 'an action') {
+        outputChannel.appendLine('[security] refusing to whitelist fallback tool identifier "an action"');
+      } else {
+        outputChannel.appendLine(`[security] tool whitelisted: ${toolName}`);
+        await context.workspaceState.update(WHITELISTED_TOOLS_KEY, [...new Set([...whitelisted, toolName])]);
+      }
+      return { outcome: 'selected', optionId: allowOptionId };
+    }
+
     if (denyOptionId) {
       outputChannel.appendLine('[security] permission denied');
       return { outcome: 'selected', optionId: denyOptionId };