manage_item
Modify items. action: create_or_update, delete, update_state, add_tag, remove_tag, set_metadata, remove_metadata.
This record as markdown: /tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/manage-item.md
What manage_item does on Openhab
AI agents call manage_item to permanently remove resources in Openhab, typically in cleanup and lifecycle workflows. It does its job in a single call, and there is no undo.
Why manage_item is rated Critical
The tool spans multiple categories including Destructive (delete, remove_tag, remove_metadata), Write (create_or_update, update_state, add_tag, set_metadata), and Execute (update_state triggers physical device changes in a smart home). Per the severity rules, Destructive is the highest applicable category.
From the tool's definition actions include 'delete', 'remove_tag', 'remove_metadata' which are irreversible, alongside 'create_or_update', 'update_state', 'add_tag', 'set_metadata'
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs manage_item safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Openhab, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For manage_item, this is the rule to start with:
manage_item is removed from the agent's tool list entirely, so the agent never calls it. The rest of the server keeps working.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Openhab, apply this rule, and every manage_item call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about manage_item
Modify items. action: create_or_update, delete, update_state, add_tag, remove_tag, set_metadata, remove_metadata. It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the Openhab MCP Server, which means it can permanently delete or destroy data. Block by default and require explicit approval.
Register the Openhab MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for manage_item: 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 Openhab. Nothing to install.
manage_item is a Destructive tool with critical risk. Critical-risk tools should be blocked by default and only enabled with explicit human approval.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the manage_item 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 manage_item. 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.
manage_item is provided by the Openhab MCP server (deswong/openhab-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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