variable-delete

THE RISK

Critical Risk

Why variable-delete needs a policy

Deletion of GitHub Actions variables is an irreversible operation that destroys existing data. This exceeds Write (which is reversible modification) and falls into Destructive. While not as critical as financial or immediate code execution risks, the loss of CI/CD configuration variables could break deployments or compromise workflows. High severity due to potential blast radius on build and deployment pipelines.

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Deletes a repository, organization, or environment GitHub Actions variable' — the verb 'Deletes' indicates irreversible removal of configuration data.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access variable-delete gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control variable-delete

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Build, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for variable-delete:

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "hide": [
    "variable-delete"
  ]
}

variable-delete disappears from the agent's tool list entirely, and any attempt to call it is denied. The rest of the server keeps working.

Create a free account and register Build — nothing to install.
Add this policy — paste it, or build it visually.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

RESTRICT THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More Build tools

Destructive clean Runs dotnet clean to remove build outputs and returns structured results. Destructive remove Runs Destructive reset Resets the current HEAD to a specified state. Supports soft, mixed, hard, merge, and keep Destructive secret-delete Deletes a repository, organization, or environment GitHub Actions secret. Destructive tag Manages git tags. Supports list (default), create, and delete actions. List returns struct Destructive workspace Manages Terraform workspaces: list, select, create, or delete workspaces. Destructive branch Lists, creates, renames, or deletes branches. Returns structured branch data. Pass Execute conda Runs conda commands (list, info, env-list, create, remove, update) and returns structured

All 202 Build tools →

Destructive tools on other servers

Android Forensics ADB MCP Server create_full_backup 0xarchive web3_revoke_key Frida Game Hacking MCP clear_scan cPanel MCP Server clear_spam_box

Go deeper

Govern code and CI agents → Branch allowlists, approval on merges, and rate caps on the build and pipeline tools agents trigger.
Critical-risk tools in Build → Every critical-risk tool this server exposes, in one view.
All critical-risk MCP tools → Every critical-risk tool across the catalogue, and the policy pattern that contains them.
The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Blast radius → How much damage one compromised or confused agent can do — and how to bound it.
Tool call approval → Approval gates on individual tool calls: auto-allow, prompt, or deny.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →
PolicyLayer vs alternatives → How deterministic, per-call MCP policy compares with gateways, identity layers, and authorisation platforms.

FAQ

Questions about variable-delete

What does the variable-delete tool do? +

Deletes a repository, organization, or environment GitHub Actions variable. It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the Build MCP Server, which means it can permanently delete or destroy data. Block by default and require explicit approval.

How do I enforce a policy on variable-delete? +

Register the Build MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for variable-delete: 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 Build. Nothing to install.

What risk level is variable-delete? +

variable-delete is a Destructive tool with critical risk. Critical-risk tools should be blocked by default and only enabled with explicit human approval.

Can I rate-limit variable-delete? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the variable-delete 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 variable-delete completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for variable-delete. 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 variable-delete? +

variable-delete is provided by the Build MCP server (Dave-London/Pare). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Build tool call.

Start from Build, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.

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