Change scan intensity (stealth, normal, aggressive) mid-engagement. Persists to DB. If the engagement is currently running, also updates the live rate limiter so subsequent phases respect the new pace immediately.
AI agents use set_intensity to create or update resources in Pentest Ai — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Pentest Ai environment.
This tool modifies configuration state (scan intensity level) and persists it to a database, and updates a live rate limiter. It is a Write operation — it changes settings for an ongoing engagement but does not itself execute scans, delete data, or move money. Misuse could escalate scan aggressiveness mid-engagement (e.g., switching to 'aggressive') which could cause unintended disruption, hence medium severity.
From the tool's definition Change scan intensity...Persists to DB...updates the live rate limiter so subsequent phases respect the new pace immediately
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access set_intensity 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 set_intensity:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"set_intensity": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "set_intensity_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}set_intensity 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.
Free to start. No card required.
Change scan intensity (stealth, normal, aggressive) mid-engagement. Persists to DB. If the engagement is currently running, also updates the live rate limiter so subsequent phases respect the new pace immediately. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Pentest Ai MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Pentest Ai MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for set_intensity: 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.
set_intensity 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 set_intensity 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 set_intensity. 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.
set_intensity 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.