ping

Ping a host and return reachability, packet loss %, and RTT stats. count: 1-30. timeout: 1-60 s per packet.

SERVERMcp Nettools SOURCEaaronckj/mcp-nettools

High RISK CLASS

Category Execute

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Rate-limitedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/aaronckj-mcp-nettools/ping.md

WHAT IT DOES

What ping does on Mcp Nettools

AI agents invoke ping to trigger actions in Mcp Nettools. 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.

RISK

Why ping is rated High

Ping sends active network packets to external hosts, which constitutes executing an external operation. While read-like in intent (diagnostics), it generates outbound network traffic to arbitrary targets, which could be misused for network reconnaissance or as part of a denial-of-service amplification. It does not merely retrieve stored data — it actively probes remote systems.

From the tool's definition 'Ping a host and return reachability, packet loss %, and RTT stats' — triggers external network operations (ICMP requests) against arbitrary hosts

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs ping safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Mcp Nettools, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For ping, this is the rule to start with:

ping Rate-limited

ping 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.

View as policy code

policy.json

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

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Mcp Nettools, apply this rule, and every ping call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about ping

What does the ping tool do? +

Ping a host and return reachability, packet loss %, and RTT stats. count: 1-30. timeout: 1-60 s per packet. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Mcp Nettools MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on ping? +

Register the Mcp Nettools MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for ping: 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 Mcp Nettools. Nothing to install.

What risk level is ping? +

ping is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit ping? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the ping 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.

How do I block ping completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for ping. 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.

What MCP server provides ping? +

ping is provided by the Mcp Nettools MCP server (aaronckj/mcp-nettools). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

KEEP EXPLORING

More on Mcp Nettools, and thousands of servers like it.

This server

All 235 Mcp Nettools tools → High-risk tools on this server →

Across the catalogue

All high-risk MCP tools → The MCP Attack Database →

Guides

Govern code and CI agents →Agent sandbox →Least privilege for MCP →