anki_operations
Run general Anki utility operations: sync, version lookup, package import/export, profile listing, and media storage or retrieval. Use this for cross-cutting maintenance tasks that do not belong to flashcard, deck, model, or study workflows. Import, export, sync, and media writes have external si...
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What anki_operations does on Anki
AI agents invoke anki_operations to trigger actions in Anki. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.
Why anki_operations is rated High
The tool executes commands that have external side effects (sync to Anki servers, import/export of data, media file writes), making it Execute rather than Write. It's not Destructive since operations are reversible (imports can be undone, syncs are not permanent overwrites). The high severity reflects that careless sync/import operations could corrupt user study data or cause unintended cloud synchronization.
From the tool's definition Tool performs 'sync', 'import/export', 'media writes', and 'package' operations with external side effects. While framed as 'utility operations', these actions trigger side effects on Anki data stores and external systems.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs anki_operations safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Anki, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For anki_operations, this is the rule to start with:
anki_operations stays usable, but rate-capped: a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Anki, apply this rule, and every anki_operations call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about anki_operations
Run general Anki utility operations: sync, version lookup, package import/export, profile listing, and media storage or retrieval. Use this for cross-cutting maintenance tasks that do not belong to flashcard, deck, model, or study workflows. Import, export, sync, and media writes have external side effects; version and profile reads do not. Select. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Anki MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the Anki MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for anki_operations: 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 Anki. Nothing to install.
anki_operations is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the anki_operations 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 anki_operations. 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.
anki_operations is provided by the Anki MCP server (@arielbk/anki-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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