poll_background_job

Read accumulated output and status of a background job (redacted).

SERVERSSH MCP Server SOURCEbhayanak/ssh-mcp-server

Low RISK CLASS

Category Read

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Allowedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/poll-background-job.md

WHAT IT DOES

What poll_background_job does on SSH MCP Server

AI agents call poll_background_job to retrieve information from SSH MCP Server without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

RISK

Why poll_background_job is rated Low

This tool retrieves the status and output of an already-running background job. It does not create, modify, delete, or execute anything—it only reads state. While the output could theoretically contain sensitive information from remote systems, the tool itself performs no destructive or impactful operations.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'poll_background_job' and description 'Read accumulated output and status of a background job' clearly indicate a retrieval operation.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs poll_background_job safely

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

poll_background_job Allowed

poll_background_job is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "poll_background_job": {}
  }
}

ALLOW ONLY THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect SSH MCP Server, apply this rule, and every poll_background_job call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about poll_background_job

What does the poll_background_job tool do? +

Read accumulated output and status of a background job (redacted). It is categorised as a Read tool in the SSH MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on poll_background_job? +

Register the SSH MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for poll_background_job: 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 SSH MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is poll_background_job? +

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

Can I rate-limit poll_background_job? +

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

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

poll_background_job is provided by the SSH MCP Server MCP server (bhayanak/ssh-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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