Make line-based edits to a text file. Each edit replaces exact line sequences with new content. Returns a git-style diff showing the changes made. Only works within allowed directories.
Accepts file system path (path)
Part of the Filesystem MCP server. Enforce policies on this tool with Intercept, the open-source MCP proxy.
AI agents use edit_file to create or modify resources in Filesystem. Write operations carry medium risk because an autonomous agent could trigger bulk unintended modifications. Rate limits prevent a single agent session from making hundreds of changes in rapid succession. Argument validation ensures the agent passes expected values.
Without a policy, an AI agent could call edit_file repeatedly, creating or modifying resources faster than any human could review. Intercept's rate limiting ensures write operations happen at a controlled pace, and argument validation catches malformed or unexpected inputs before they reach Filesystem.
Write tools can modify data. A rate limit prevents runaway bulk operations from AI agents.
tools:
edit_file:
rules:
- action: allow
rate_limit:
max: 30
window: 60See the full Filesystem policy for all 14 tools.
Agents calling write-class tools like edit_file have been implicated in these attack patterns. Read the full case and prevention policy for each:
Other tools in the Write risk category across the catalogue. The same policy patterns (rate-limit, validate) apply to each.
Make line-based edits to a text file. Each edit replaces exact line sequences with new content. Returns a git-style diff showing the changes made. Only works within allowed directories.. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Filesystem MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Add a rule in your Intercept YAML policy under the tools section for edit_file. You can allow, deny, rate-limit, or validate arguments. Then run Intercept as a proxy in front of the Filesystem MCP server.
edit_file is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the edit_file rule in your Intercept 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 Intercept policy for edit_file. 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.
edit_file is provided by the Filesystem MCP server (@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem). Intercept sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Open source. One binary. Zero dependencies.
npx -y @policylayer/intercept