Scan common ports on a target (built-in, no nmap required).
AI agents invoke scan_ports_builtin to trigger actions in Pentest Ai. 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.
Port scanning sends network packets to an external target to discover open ports. This is an active operation with real external effects (triggering IDS/IPS, generating network traffic to third-party systems), making it Execute. Misuse against unauthorized targets could have legal and operational consequences, hence medium severity.
From the tool's definition "Scan common ports on a target" — actively probes a remote host's network ports
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access scan_ports_builtin gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Pentest Ai, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for scan_ports_builtin:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"scan_ports_builtin": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "scan_ports_builtin_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 10,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}scan_ports_builtin 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.
Free to start. No card required.
Scan common ports on a target (built-in, no nmap required). It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Pentest Ai MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the Pentest Ai MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for scan_ports_builtin: 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 Pentest Ai. Nothing to install.
scan_ports_builtin is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the scan_ports_builtin 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 scan_ports_builtin. 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.
scan_ports_builtin is provided by the Pentest Ai MCP server (0xsteph/pentest-ai). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 51 Pentest Ai tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
51 Pentest Ai tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.