signal_friction

SERVERLocal SOURCElocal-mcp

Medium RISK CLASS

Category Write

Parameters 41 required

Recommended Rate-limitedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/signal-friction.md

WHAT IT DOES

What signal_friction does on Local

AI agents use signal_friction to create or update resources in Local, usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Local environment.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`attempt_count`	integer	—	How many times this was attempted (optional).
`error_category`	string	—	Category of what went wrong (optional).
`tool_attempted`	string	—	Name of the LMCP tool involved (e.g. list_emails). Optional.
`friction_signal`	string	Yes	What kind of friction you observed.

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

RISK

Why signal_friction is rated Medium

The tool creates data (a signal/feedback record) on a remote system. It is reversible (signals can be discarded or logged without permanent damage) and contains no personal data per design ('NEVER the user's request, message/email content, account names, or any personal data').

From the tool's definition Tool sends/submits a signal: 'Send an ANONYMOUS, content-free signal'. This is a network transmission that creates a log entry or record on the LMCP team's systems.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs signal_friction safely

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

signal_friction Rate-limited

signal_friction 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.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "signal_friction": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "signal_friction_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

LIMIT THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

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

FAQ

Questions about signal_friction

What does the signal_friction tool do? +

Send an ANONYMOUS, content-free signal when an LMCP tool fails, returns nothing useful, the user seems frustrated, or you could not accomplish what they asked. Helps the LMCP team find and fix the roughest spots. Send ONLY the category + the tool name — NEVER the user's request, message/email content, account names, or any personal data. No confirmation needed: this is anonymous (categories only) and respects the user's opt-out. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Local MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

What parameters does signal_friction accept? +

signal_friction accepts 4 parameters: attempt_count, error_category, tool_attempted, friction_signal. Required: friction_signal. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.

How do I enforce a policy on signal_friction? +

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

What risk level is signal_friction? +

signal_friction is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit signal_friction? +

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

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

signal_friction is provided by the Local MCP server (local-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

KEEP EXPLORING

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