ui_open_app

Open an application by name or bundle ID and return an accessibility tree summary of its windows and top-level UI elements. Requires Accessibility permissions.

SERVERIconnect SOURCEiconnect-mcp

High RISK CLASS

Category Execute

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Rate-limitedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade F, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-heznpc-iconnect/ui-open-app.md

WHAT IT DOES

What ui_open_app does on Iconnect

AI agents invoke ui_open_app to trigger actions in Iconnect. 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.

RISK

Why ui_open_app is rated High

Opening an application triggers execution of an external process on the user's machine. This goes beyond reading data; it actively starts a program, which could have side effects depending on which application is launched. Classified as Execute rather than Write because it triggers an external operation whose effects depend on the argument (the app name/bundle ID).

From the tool's definition 'Open an application by name or bundle ID' — launches an external application process on the host system

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs ui_open_app safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Iconnect, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For ui_open_app, this is the rule to start with:

ui_open_app Rate-limited

ui_open_app 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.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "ui_open_app": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "ui_open_app_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Iconnect, apply this rule, and every ui_open_app call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about ui_open_app

What does the ui_open_app tool do? +

Open an application by name or bundle ID and return an accessibility tree summary of its windows and top-level UI elements. Requires Accessibility permissions. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Iconnect MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on ui_open_app? +

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

What risk level is ui_open_app? +

ui_open_app is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit ui_open_app? +

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

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

ui_open_app is provided by the Iconnect MCP server (iconnect-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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