Low Risk

check_balance

Check your daily Switch spending — what you have spent today, your daily limit, and what is remaining. Optionally pass an estimatedCost (USD) to also get whether you can afford it.

Part of the Switch server.

check_balance is read-only, but an agent in a loop can still rack up calls and cost. PolicyLayer caps every call before it runs. Live in minutes.

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AI agents call check_balance to retrieve information from Switch without modifying any data. This is common in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows where the agent needs context before taking action. Because read operations don't change state, they are generally safe to allow without restrictions -- but you may still want rate limits to control API costs.

Even though check_balance only reads data, uncontrolled read access can leak sensitive information or rack up API costs. An agent caught in a retry loop could make thousands of calls per minute. A rate limit gives you a safety net without blocking legitimate use.

Read-only tools are safe to allow by default. No rate limit needed unless you want to control costs.

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "check_balance": {}
  }
}

See the full Switch policy for all 29 tools.

Get this rule live on your own Switch server in minutes. PolicyLayer enforces it on every call, before it runs.

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These attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access check_balance gives an agent. Each links to the full case and the policy that stops it:

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Every attack above starts with a tool call. PolicyLayer checks each one against your policy first, so check_balance only ever does what you allow.

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Other read tools across the catalogue. The same approach applies to each: allow, with a rate cap to control cost.

What does the check_balance tool do? +

Check your daily Switch spending — what you have spent today, your daily limit, and what is remaining. Optionally pass an estimatedCost (USD) to also get whether you can afford it.. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Switch MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on check_balance? +

Register the Switch MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for check_balance: 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 Switch. Nothing to install.

What risk level is check_balance? +

check_balance is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit check_balance? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the check_balance 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 check_balance completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for check_balance. 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 check_balance? +

check_balance is provided by the Switch MCP server (https://mcp.switchapp.ai/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Switch tool call.

Deterministic rules across all 29 Switch tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.

Free to start. No card required.

4,600+ MCP servers and 31,000+ tools scanned and risk-classified.

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