# compliance

Compliance: Lynis, OpenSCAP, CIS benchmarks, framework checks, policy, cron/tmp hardening

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `compliance`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/compliance

## Facts

- Tool: `compliance`
- Server: Defense (`defense-mcp-server`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense.md
- Install: `npx -y defense-mcp-server`
- Homepage: git+https://github.com/bottobot/defense-mcp-server.git
- Risk category: Write (Medium risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 12 (1 required)
- Recommended policy verdict: Rate-limited

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `level` | string | no | CIS benchmark level |
| `quick` | boolean | no | Quick mode, skip long-running tests |
| `action` | string | yes | Action to perform |
| `dryRun` | boolean | no | Preview only |
| `format` | string | no | Report output format |
| `content` | string | no | Path to SCAP content DS file |
| `dry_run` | boolean | no | Preview without applying |
| `pentest` | boolean | no | Enable pentest mode |
| `profile` | string | no | Lynis profile file path |
| `section` | string | no | CIS benchmark section |
| `framework` | string | no | Compliance framework |
| `test_group` | string | no | Test group, e.g. 'firewall', 'ssh', 'kernel' |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

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

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "compliance",
    "arguments": {
      "action": "<action>"
    }
  }
}
```

## Why compliance is rated Medium

An AI agent can call compliance faster than any human can review: one bad instruction and it creates or modifies resources in Defense by the hundred, each call as confident as the last.

Risk signals: Accepts raw HTML/template content (content) · High parameter count (23 properties)

## Use case

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

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

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

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "compliance": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "compliance_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Defense (30)

- `app_harden` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/app-harden.md
- `container_isolation` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/container-isolation.md
- `crypto` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/crypto.md
- `ebpf` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/ebpf.md
- `firewall` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/firewall.md
- `harden_kernel` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/harden-kernel.md
- `honeypot_manage` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/honeypot-manage.md
- `incident_response` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/incident-response.md
- `malware` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/malware.md
- `sudo_session` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/sudo-session.md
- `vuln_manage` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/vuln-manage.md
- `waf_manage` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/waf-manage.md
- `wireless_security` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/wireless-security.md
- `zero_trust` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/zero-trust.md
- `api_security` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/api-security.md
- `cloud_security` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/cloud-security.md
- `dns_security` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/dns-security.md
- `secrets` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/secrets.md
- `access_control` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/access-control.md
- `backup` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/backup.md
- `container_docker` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/container-docker.md
- `defense_mgmt` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/defense-mgmt.md
- `harden_host` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/harden-host.md
- `integrity` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/integrity.md
- `log_management` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/log-management.md
- `network_defense` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/network-defense.md
- `patch` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/patch.md
- `process_security` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/process-security.md
- `supply_chain` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/supply-chain.md
- `threat_intel` — Write — https://policylayer.com/tools/defense/threat-intel.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=defense · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/defense