mcp_update_plugin
Update a single plugin to the latest version. refresh:true first runs a fresh update check for it (wp.org and Plugin Update Checker / GitHub releases), so a just-released update is seen without waiting 12 h. A plugin that was active before is reactivated after the file swap (reactivated / reactiv...
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-cvrt-jh-wordpress-mcp/mcp-update-plugin.md
What mcp_update_plugin does on Wordpress
AI agents invoke mcp_update_plugin to trigger actions in Wordpress. 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 mcp_update_plugin is rated High
Updating and swapping plugin files triggers external operations with significant system impact.
From the tool's definition Update a single plugin to the latest version... file swap... reactivated
Risk signalsAdmin/system-level operation
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs mcp_update_plugin safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Wordpress, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For mcp_update_plugin, this is the rule to start with:
mcp_update_plugin 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 Wordpress, apply this rule, and every mcp_update_plugin call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about mcp_update_plugin
Update a single plugin to the latest version. refresh:true first runs a fresh update check for it (wp.org and Plugin Update Checker / GitHub releases), so a just-released update is seen without waiting 12 h. A plugin that was active before is reactivated after the file swap (reactivated / reactivate_error report it). updated:false means already up to date; a failed download or unpack is an error (502, cvrt-mcp-endpoints 1.16.0+). cvrt-mcp-endpoints itself is refused (409): update it via mcp_install_plugin_zip or wp-admin. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Wordpress MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the Wordpress MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for mcp_update_plugin: 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 Wordpress. Nothing to install.
mcp_update_plugin 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 mcp_update_plugin 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 mcp_update_plugin. 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.
mcp_update_plugin is provided by the Wordpress MCP server (@cavort-it-systems/wordpress-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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