publish
Runs dotnet publish for deployment and returns structured output with output path and diagnostics.
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-dave-london-github/publish.md
What publish does on Github
AI agents invoke publish to trigger actions in Github. 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 publish is rated High
The tool executes a dotnet publish command, which is a build/deployment operation that runs external processes and produces artifacts. It doesn't merely read data, but actively compiles and packages code for deployment. The blast radius is medium — it could build and deploy unintended code or configurations, but is generally reversible and limited in scope compared to destructive or financial operations.
From the tool's definition 'Runs dotnet publish for deployment and returns structured output with output path and diagnostics'
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs publish safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Github, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For publish, this is the rule to start with:
publish 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 Github, apply this rule, and every publish call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about publish
Runs dotnet publish for deployment and returns structured output with output path and diagnostics. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Github MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the Github MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for publish: 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.
publish 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 publish 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 publish. 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.
publish 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.
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