traceroute
Trace the network path to a host. max_hops: 1-64. timeout: overall timeout in seconds. wait: per-hop probe wait time in seconds (1-10, default 2; increase to 5-10 for high-latency satellite/VPN links).
This record as markdown: /tools/aaronckj-mcp-nettools/traceroute.md
What traceroute does on Mcp Nettools
AI agents invoke traceroute 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.
Why traceroute is rated High
Traceroute is an active network diagnostic that executes ICMP/UDP/TCP probes against external hosts. It falls under Execute because it triggers real external network operations rather than merely reading static data. Misuse could involve probing internal network topology, mapping infrastructure, or causing unintended network traffic; hence medium severity.
From the tool's definition 'Trace the network path to a host' — traceroute actively sends network probes across multiple hops, triggering external network operations whose effects depend on arguments (target host, max_hops, timeout, wait).
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs traceroute 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 traceroute, this is the rule to start with:
traceroute 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 Mcp Nettools, apply this rule, and every traceroute call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about traceroute
Trace the network path to a host. max_hops: 1-64. timeout: overall timeout in seconds. wait: per-hop probe wait time in seconds (1-10, default 2; increase to 5-10 for high-latency satellite/VPN links). 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.
Register the Mcp Nettools MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for traceroute: 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.
traceroute 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 traceroute 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 traceroute. 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.
traceroute 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.
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