system_start_new_session

What system_start_new_session does on Hercules MCP

AI agents invoke system_start_new_session 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.

Why system_start_new_session is rated High

This tool initiates a new offensive security environment (Kali Linux container) which allows execution of arbitrary penetration testing commands and exploits. The blast radius is critical because an AI agent could launch unauthorized attacks, compromise systems, exfiltrate data, or cause widespread damage through this containerized offensive toolkit.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'system_start_new_session' on a server that 'Enables AI agents to perform professional penetration testing through a containerized Kali Linux environment' and exposes 'industry-standard offensive security tools.' Starting a new session in a…

Risk signalsAdmin/system-level operation

The rule that runs system_start_new_session 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 system_start_new_session, this is the rule to start with:

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

Questions about system_start_new_session