This record as markdown: /tools/cowork-os/browser-forward.md
What browser_forward does on CoWork OS
AI agents invoke browser_forward to trigger actions in CoWork OS. 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.
Why browser_forward is rated High
This tool triggers a browser navigation action (moving forward in history), which is an external operation that changes the browser's state. It's an Execute-category action since it performs a browser action with real effects, though the blast radius is low as it only navigates forward in an existing history stack.
From the tool's definition Go forward in browser history
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs browser_forward safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and CoWork OS, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For browser_forward, this is the rule to start with:
browser_forward 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.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect CoWork OS, apply this rule, and every browser_forward call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about browser_forward
Go forward in browser history. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the CoWork OS MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the CoWork OS MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for browser_forward: 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 CoWork OS. Nothing to install.
browser_forward is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the browser_forward 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 browser_forward. 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.
browser_forward is provided by the CoWork OS MCP server (CoWork-OS/CoWork-OS). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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