request_approval

Request approval for a privileged (Tier 2) operation.

SERVERSSH MCP Server SOURCEbhayanak/ssh-mcp-server

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/bhayanak-ssh-mcp-server/request-approval.md

WHAT IT DOES

What request_approval does on SSH MCP Server

AI agents invoke request_approval to trigger actions in SSH MCP Server. 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 request_approval is rated High

This tool initiates a privileged operation approval workflow, triggering an external process that can lead to execution of elevated/privileged operations on remote Linux servers. While the tool itself requests approval rather than directly executing, it is the gateway to high-impact privileged actions.

From the tool's definition Request approval for a privileged (Tier 2) operation

Risk signalsAdmin/system-level operation

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs request_approval 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 request_approval, this is the rule to start with:

request_approval Rate-limited

request_approval 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": {
    "request_approval": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "request_approval_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 SSH MCP Server, apply this rule, and every request_approval call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about request_approval

What does the request_approval tool do? +

Request approval for a privileged (Tier 2) operation. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the SSH MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on request_approval? +

Register the SSH MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for request_approval: 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 request_approval? +

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

Can I rate-limit request_approval? +

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

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

request_approval 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.

KEEP EXPLORING

More on SSH MCP Server, and thousands of servers like it.

This server

All 23 SSH MCP Server tools → High-risk tools on this server →

Across the catalogue

http_request on 0sec → All high-risk MCP tools → The MCP Attack Database →

Guides

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