Critical Risk →

clean

Removes untracked files from the working tree. DEFAULTS TO DRY-RUN MODE for safety — shows what would be removed without actually deleting. Set force=true AND dryRun=false to actually remove files.

Risk signalsAccepts file system path (path)

Part of the Github server.

clean can permanently delete data in Github, with no limits today. PolicyLayer puts allow, deny, and rate-limit rules on every call. Live in minutes.

SECURE GITHUB →

Free to start. No card required.

AI agents may call clean to permanently remove or destroy resources in Github. Without a policy, an autonomous agent could delete critical data in a loop with no way to undo the damage. PolicyLayer blocks destructive tools by default and requires explicit human approval before enabling them.

Without a policy, an AI agent could call clean in a loop, permanently destroying resources in Github. There is no undo for destructive operations. PolicyLayer blocks this tool by default and only allows it when a human explicitly approves the action.

Destructive tools permanently remove data. Block by default. Only enable with explicit approval workflows.

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "hide": [
    "clean"
  ]
}

See the full Github policy for all 28 tools.

Get this rule live on your own Github server in minutes. PolicyLayer enforces it on every call, before it runs.

ENFORCE ON MY GITHUB →

View all 28 tools →

These attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access clean gives an agent. Each links to the full case and the policy that stops it:

Browse the full MCP Attack Database →

Every attack above starts with a tool call. PolicyLayer checks each one against your policy first, so clean only ever does what you allow.

SECURE GITHUB →

Other destructive tools across the catalogue. The same approach applies to each: deny by default, or require human approval.

What does the clean tool do? +

Removes untracked files from the working tree. DEFAULTS TO DRY-RUN MODE for safety — shows what would be removed without actually deleting. Set force=true AND dryRun=false to actually remove files.. It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the Github 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 clean? +

Register the Github MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for clean: 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 Github. Nothing to install.

What risk level is clean? +

clean 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 clean? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the clean 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 clean completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for clean. 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 clean? +

clean is provided by the Github MCP server (@paretools/github). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Github tool call.

Deterministic rules across all 28 Github tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.

Free to start. No card required.

4,600+ MCP servers and 31,000+ tools scanned and risk-classified.

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