update_activity

SERVERMoodle SOURCE@falkenslab/moodle-mcp

Medium RISK CLASS

Category Write

Parameters 121 required

Recommended Rate-limitedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/falkenslab-moodle-mcp/update-activity.md

WHAT IT DOES

What update_activity does on Moodle

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

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`url`	string	—	A URL resource's target
`name`	string	—
`embed`	array	—	Absolute local files (images…) to embed in the HTML, which names each by its file name: <img src="shot.png">
`files`	object	—	A file resource's or folder's files; untouched when missing
`content`	string	—	A page's content, or a label's text (HTML)
`package`	string	—	A SCORM's new package: an absolute local path to a .zip, replacing the current one in place
`settings`	object	—	Any other form field by its name in Moodle's activity form, e.g. {"duedate[enabled]": true, "duedate[day]": 12, "grade[modgrade_point]": 10}
`activityId`	integer	Yes	The activity's id (course module id), as get_course_structure gives it
`completion`	object	—	When it counts as complete
`visibility`	string	—	"stealth": hidden from the course page but available by link, where the site allows it
`description`	string	—	The description (HTML), shown on the activity's page
`restrictions`	object	—	When students can open it ({ conditions: [] } removes them)

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

RISK

Why update_activity is rated Medium

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

Risk signalsAccepts URL/endpoint input (url) · Accepts raw HTML/template content (content) · High parameter count (33 properties)

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs update_activity safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Moodle, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For update_activity, this is the rule to start with:

update_activity Rate-limited

update_activity stays usable, but capped: an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "update_activity": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "update_activity_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

LIMIT THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Moodle, apply this rule, and every update_activity call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about update_activity

What does the update_activity tool do? +

Change an existing activity through Moodle's own form: name, description, a page's or label's content, a URL's target, visibility, access restrictions, completion, a file resource's or folder's files (add, remove by their path as get_activity_settings lists them, or replace all), a SCORM's package (replaced in place: the activity keeps its id, settings and grade item; attempts stay in the SCOs the new package keeps, by their identifier, and go with the SCOs it drops), or any other setting by its form field name in settings. Only what is given changes. Returns the course structure, and a SCORM as get_scorm reads it after a new package. Changes the course: confirm with the person first. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Moodle MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

What parameters does update_activity accept? +

update_activity accepts 12 parameters: url, name, embed, files, content, package, settings, activityId, completion, visibility, description, restrictions. Required: activityId. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.

How do I enforce a policy on update_activity? +

Register the Moodle MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for update_activity: 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 Moodle. Nothing to install.

What risk level is update_activity? +

update_activity is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit update_activity? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the update_activity 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.

How do I block update_activity completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for update_activity. 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.

What MCP server provides update_activity? +

update_activity is provided by the Moodle MCP server (@falkenslab/moodle-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

KEEP EXPLORING

More on Moodle, and thousands of servers like it.

This server

All 233 Moodle tools →

Across the catalogue

aroflo_create_or_update_record on AroFlo MCP → The MCP Attack Database →

Guides

Govern customer-ops agents →Argument validation →Scoped token →