switch_tab
Set the active browser tab by session id or URL substring.
This record as markdown: /tools/335234131-agent-browser-mcp/switch-tab.md
What switch_tab does on Agent Browser
AI agents invoke switch_tab to trigger actions in Agent Browser. 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 switch_tab is rated High
Switching the active browser tab is a browser action/operation that changes the browser's state. It falls under Execute because it triggers an external operation (controlling the real Chrome browser). It's not a pure read (it changes which tab is active), not a write to data, and not destructive or financial. Misuse could redirect browser context to sensitive tabs with login sessions, making severity medium.
From the tool's definition 'Set the active browser tab by session id or URL substring' — triggers a browser action that changes the active tab state in a real Chrome browser with full context including login sessions and cookies
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs switch_tab safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Agent Browser, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For switch_tab, this is the rule to start with:
switch_tab 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.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Agent Browser, apply this rule, and every switch_tab call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about switch_tab
Set the active browser tab by session id or URL substring. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Agent Browser MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the Agent Browser MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for switch_tab: 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 Agent Browser. Nothing to install.
switch_tab 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 switch_tab 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 switch_tab. 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.
switch_tab is provided by the Agent Browser MCP server (335234131/agent-browser-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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