This record as markdown: /tools/codeswhat-portkey-admin-mcp/update-provider.md
What update_provider does on Portkey Admin
AI agents use update_provider to create or update resources in Portkey Admin, usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Portkey Admin environment.
Why update_provider is rated Medium
This tool modifies provider configuration or settings reversibly. It creates or updates data (in Write category) rather than executing arbitrary code, deleting data, or moving money. The blast radius is medium because misconfigured providers could affect multiple downstream operations, but the change is reversible via another update.
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'update_provider' and description states 'Update a provider', indicating modification of existing data without deletion.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs update_provider safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Portkey Admin, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For update_provider, this is the rule to start with:
update_provider stays usable, but capped: an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Portkey Admin, apply this rule, and every update_provider call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about update_provider
Update a provider. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Portkey Admin MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Portkey Admin MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for update_provider: 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 Portkey Admin. Nothing to install.
update_provider is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the update_provider 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 update_provider. 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.
update_provider is provided by the Portkey Admin MCP server (codeswhat/portkey-admin-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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