# open_application

Open an application by name (e.g.,

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `open_application`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/open-application

## Facts

- Tool: `open_application`
- Server: CoWork OS (`CoWork-OS/CoWork-OS`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/CoWork-OS/CoWork-OS
- Risk category: Execute (High risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Rate-limited

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "open_application",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why open_application is rated High

Opening an application triggers an external process on the host OS. An AI agent could misuse this to launch arbitrary applications (browsers, terminals, mail clients, etc.), potentially enabling further exploitation or unintended side effects.

From the tool's own definition: "open_application — 'Open an application by name'"

## Use case

AI agents invoke open_application 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.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Rate-limited**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches CoWork OS:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "open_application": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "open_application_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Other tools on CoWork OS (341)

- `cancel_agent` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/cancel-agent.md
- `cancel_video_generation_job` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/cancel-video-generation-job.md
- `cloud_sandbox_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/cloud-sandbox-delete.md
- `delete_file` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/delete-file.md
- `disable_macos_launch_agents` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/disable-macos-launch-agents.md
- `domain_dns_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/domain-dns-delete.md
- `google-workspace.calendar_event_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.calendar-event-delete.md
- `google-workspace.slides_delete_slide` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.slides-delete-slide.md
- `google-workspace.tasks_clear_completed` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.tasks-clear-completed.md
- `google-workspace.tasks_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.tasks-delete.md
- `google-workspace.tasks_lists_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/google-workspace.tasks-lists-delete.md
- `kg_delete_edge` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/kg-delete-edge.md
- `kg_delete_entity` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/kg-delete-entity.md
- `skill_delete` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/skill-delete.md
- `supermemory_forget` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/supermemory-forget.md
- `blender.render_view` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/blender.render-view.md
- `browser_act_batch` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-act-batch.md
- `browser_attach` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-attach.md
- `browser_back` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-back.md
- `browser_click` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-click.md
- `browser_close` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-close.md
- `browser_close_tab` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-close-tab.md
- `browser_drag` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-drag.md
- `browser_emulate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-emulate.md
- `browser_evaluate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-evaluate.md
- `browser_fill` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-fill.md
- `browser_forward` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-forward.md
- `browser_handle_dialog` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-handle-dialog.md
- `browser_hover` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-hover.md
- `browser_navigate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os/browser-navigate.md
- …and 311 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/cowork-os.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=cowork-os · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/cowork-os