nuclei_run

Run nuclei vulnerability scanner against targets.

SERVERHercules MCP SOURCE0xmihirk/hercules-mcp

High RISK CLASS

Category Execute

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Rate-limitedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

WHAT IT DOES

What nuclei_run does on Hercules MCP

AI agents invoke nuclei_run to trigger actions in Hercules MCP. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

RISK

Why nuclei_run is rated High

This tool executes external operations (vulnerability scanning/probing) whose effects depend on arguments (target selection, template choice, etc.). While it does not modify the target system (ruling out Write/Destructive) nor move money (ruling out Financial), it performs active reconnaissance and potential exploitation attempts against specified targets.

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Run nuclei vulnerability scanner against targets' — nuclei is an industry-standard offensive security scanning tool that executes probes and payloads against external targets.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs nuclei_run safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Hercules MCP, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For nuclei_run, this is the rule to start with:

nuclei_run Rate-limited

nuclei_run stays usable, but rate-capped: a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "nuclei_run": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "nuclei_run_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Hercules MCP, apply this rule, and every nuclei_run call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about nuclei_run

What does the nuclei_run tool do? +

Run nuclei vulnerability scanner against targets. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Hercules MCP MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on nuclei_run? +

Register the Hercules MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for nuclei_run: 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 Hercules MCP. Nothing to install.

What risk level is nuclei_run? +

nuclei_run is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit nuclei_run? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the nuclei_run 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.

How do I block nuclei_run completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for nuclei_run. 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.

What MCP server provides nuclei_run? +

nuclei_run is provided by the Hercules MCP server (0xmihirk/hercules-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

KEEP EXPLORING

More on Hercules, and thousands of servers like it.

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All 45 Hercules tools → High-risk tools on this server →

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shortcuts_run on Apple Apps MCP →run_emba_scan on EMBA-MCP → All high-risk MCP tools → The MCP Attack Database →

Guides

Govern code and CI agents →Agent sandbox →Least privilege for MCP →