Add a user to a password-protected directory
AI agents use add_directory_user to create or update resources in cPanel MCP Server — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your cPanel MCP Server environment.
The tool creates or adds a new user credential entry to a password-protected directory system. This is a Write operation as it creates/modifies authentication data reversibly. Severity is medium because misuse could grant unauthorized access to protected resources, but the impact is limited to directory-level access control rather than account-wide privileges.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'add_directory_user' and description 'Add a user to a password-protected directory' indicate creation of a new user account entry for directory access control. This is a reversible modification operation (user can be removed).
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access add_directory_user gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and cPanel MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for add_directory_user:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"add_directory_user": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "add_directory_user_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}add_directory_user stays usable, but capped — an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Add a user to a password-protected directory. It is categorised as a Write tool in the cPanel MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the cPanel MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for add_directory_user: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches cPanel MCP Server. Nothing to install.
add_directory_user is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the add_directory_user rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for add_directory_user. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
add_directory_user is provided by the cPanel MCP Server MCP server (0xhayd3n/cpanel-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from cPanel MCP Server, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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164 cPanel MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.