manage_rule
Manage automation rules. action: create, update, delete, enable, disable, run.
This record as markdown: /tools/deswong-openhab-mcp/manage-rule.md
What manage_rule does on Openhab
AI agents call manage_rule 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_rule is rated Critical
The tool supports 'delete' which irreversibly removes automation rules, making it Destructive. It also includes 'run' (Execute), 'create'/'update' (Write), and 'enable'/'disable' (Write-like). Per severity ordering, Destructive takes precedence. Misuse could permanently delete critical home automation rules, hence high severity.
From the tool's definition action: create, update, delete, enable, disable, run
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs manage_rule 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_rule, this is the rule to start with:
manage_rule 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_rule call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about manage_rule
Manage automation rules. action: create, update, delete, enable, disable, run. 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_rule: 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_rule 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_rule 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_rule. 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_rule 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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