Updates all references to the specified item (by its path) to point to a new provided in the -NewTarget or removes links to the item.
AI agents use common-update-item-referrer-by-path to create or update resources in Mcp Sitecore — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Mcp Sitecore environment.
This tool modifies reference data and link relationships across potentially many items in a CMS, which is a reversible write operation. It affects a wide blast radius (all items referencing the target), making it high-severity, but does not irreversibly delete data (Destructive), execute arbitrary code (Execute), or move money (Financial).
From the tool's definition 'Updates all references to the specified item' and 'removes links to the item' indicate modification of data structure and link relationships across multiple items in the Sitecore content management system.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access common-update-item-referrer-by-path gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Mcp Sitecore, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for common-update-item-referrer-by-path:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"common-update-item-referrer-by-path": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "common-update-item-referrer-by-path_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
} common-update-item-referrer-by-path 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.
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Updates all references to the specified item (by its path) to point to a new provided in the -NewTarget or removes links to the item. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Mcp Sitecore MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Mcp Sitecore MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for common-update-item-referrer-by-path: 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 Mcp Sitecore. Nothing to install.
common-update-item-referrer-by-path 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 common-update-item-referrer-by-path 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 common-update-item-referrer-by-path. 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.
common-update-item-referrer-by-path is provided by the Mcp Sitecore MCP server (@antonytm/mcp-sitecore-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Mcp Sitecore, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
149 Mcp Sitecore tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.