recreate_container
Stop and remove a container, then run a new container. Fails if the container does not exist.
This record as markdown: /tools/docker/recreate-container.md
What recreate_container does on Docker
AI agents call recreate_container to permanently remove resources in Docker, typically in cleanup and lifecycle workflows. It does its job in a single call, and there is no undo.
Why recreate_container is rated Critical
While the tool also creates a new container (Write), the primary destructive action is stopping and removing an existing container. This cannot be undone without external backups. The destructive aspect dominates the classification. Severity is high rather than critical because the blast radius is limited to a single container (not system-wide), though losing container state/data is a significant operational impact.
From the tool's definition 'Stop and remove a container, then run a new container' — the tool explicitly removes/destroys an existing container as part of its operation, which is irreversible data loss if container state or volumes are not backed up.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs recreate_container safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Docker, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For recreate_container, this is the rule to start with:
recreate_container 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 Docker, apply this rule, and every recreate_container call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about recreate_container
Stop and remove a container, then run a new container. Fails if the container does not exist. It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the Docker MCP Server, which means it can permanently delete or destroy data. Block by default and require explicit approval.
Register the Docker MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for recreate_container: 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 Docker. Nothing to install.
recreate_container 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 recreate_container 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 recreate_container. 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.
recreate_container is provided by the Docker MCP server (@ckreiling/mcp-server-docker). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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