# harden_disable_ssh_password

Disable SSH password authentication (enforce key-only auth for hardening).

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `harden_disable_ssh_password`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/harden-disable-ssh-password

## Facts

- Tool: `harden_disable_ssh_password`
- Server: Aapanel (`nipunanirmal/aapanel-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/nipunanirmal/aapanel-mcp
- Risk category: Execute (High risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Rate-limited

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "harden_disable_ssh_password",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why harden_disable_ssh_password is rated High

This tool modifies the SSH daemon configuration to disable password authentication, enforcing key-only login. While it writes a configuration change, the primary effect is executing a system-level security policy change that affects access to the server. Misuse could lock out all users who don't have SSH keys configured, potentially causing irreversible loss of access.

From the tool's own definition: "Disable SSH password authentication (enforce key-only auth for hardening)"

## Use case

AI agents invoke harden_disable_ssh_password to trigger actions in Aapanel. 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.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Rate-limited**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Aapanel:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "harden_disable_ssh_password": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "harden_disable_ssh_password_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Aapanel (281)

- `backup_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/backup-delete.md
- `crontab_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/crontab-delete.md
- `cve_set_vuln_ignore` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/cve-set-vuln-ignore.md
- `database_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/database-delete.md
- `database_delete_backup` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/database-delete-backup.md
- `docker_image_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/docker-image-delete.md
- `file_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/file-delete.md
- `firewall_delete_ip` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/firewall-delete-ip.md
- `firewall_delete_port` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/firewall-delete-port.md
- `ftp_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/ftp-delete.md
- `harden_clear_temp_login` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/harden-clear-temp-login.md
- `plugin_uninstall` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/plugin-uninstall.md
- `project_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/project-delete.md
- `site_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/site-delete.md
- `site_delete_domain` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/site-delete-domain.md
- `soft_uninstall` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/soft-uninstall.md
- `ssl_delete_cert` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/ssl-delete-cert.md
- `system_clear_all_cache` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/system-clear-all-cache.md
- `system_clear_all_logs` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/system-clear-all-logs.md
- `system_clear_cache` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/system-clear-cache.md
- `system_clear_old_sessions` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/system-clear-old-sessions.md
- `system_clear_panel_logs` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/system-clear-panel-logs.md
- `system_clear_site_logs` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/system-clear-site-logs.md
- `tamper_remove_file_deny` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/tamper-remove-file-deny.md
- `task_remove` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/task-remove.md
- `waf_delete_rule` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/waf-delete-rule.md
- `abnormal_check_all` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/abnormal-check-all.md
- `crontab_start` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/crontab-start.md
- `deployment_install` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/deployment-install.md
- `docker_container_restart` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp/docker-container-restart.md
- …and 251 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/aapanel-mcp.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

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Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=aapanel-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/aapanel-mcp