waf_manage
WAF: ModSecurity audit, rule management, rate limiting, OWASP CRS, blocked request analysis
This record as markdown: /tools/defense/waf-manage.md
What waf_manage does on Defense
AI agents invoke waf_manage to trigger actions in Defense. 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.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
action | string | Yes | WAF management action |
rule_id | string | — | ModSecurity rule ID |
log_path | string | — | Path to WAF log file |
rate_limit | number | — | Requests per second for rate limiting |
web_server | string | — | Web server type |
rule_action | string | — | Rule sub-action |
output_format | string | — | Output format |
rate_limit_zone | string | — | Zone name for rate limiting |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why waf_manage is rated High
This tool manages Web Application Firewall rules and configurations, which includes modifying active security rules, adjusting rate limits, and controlling what traffic gets blocked. These are live security control operations that can affect system-wide traffic filtering. Misuse could disable protections or create security gaps, making this Execute (with Write aspects) at high severity.
From the tool's definition WAF: ModSecurity audit, rule management, rate limiting, OWASP CRS, blocked request analysis
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs waf_manage safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Defense, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For waf_manage, this is the rule to start with:
waf_manage 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 Defense, apply this rule, and every waf_manage call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about waf_manage
WAF: ModSecurity audit, rule management, rate limiting, OWASP CRS, blocked request analysis. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Defense MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
waf_manage accepts 8 parameters: action, rule_id, log_path, rate_limit, web_server, rule_action, output_format, rate_limit_zone. Required: action. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Defense MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for waf_manage: 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 Defense. Nothing to install.
waf_manage 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 waf_manage 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 waf_manage. 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.
waf_manage is provided by the Defense MCP server (defense-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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