Low Risk

ping_monitor

Send a heartbeat ping to a cron monitor to confirm the job ran successfully. Use ping_type='ping' for simple heartbeats, 'start'+'complete' for duration tracking, or 'fail' to immediately mark it down.

Part of the Cron Monitor server.

ping_monitor is read-only, but an agent in a loop can still rack up calls and cost. PolicyLayer caps every call before it runs. Live in minutes.

SECURE CRON MONITOR →

Free to start. No card required.

AI agents call ping_monitor to retrieve information from Cron Monitor without modifying any data. This is common in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows where the agent needs context before taking action. Because read operations don't change state, they are generally safe to allow without restrictions -- but you may still want rate limits to control API costs.

Even though ping_monitor only reads data, uncontrolled read access can leak sensitive information or rack up API costs. An agent caught in a retry loop could make thousands of calls per minute. A rate limit gives you a safety net without blocking legitimate use.

Read-only tools are safe to allow by default. No rate limit needed unless you want to control costs.

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "ping_monitor": {}
  }
}

See the full Cron Monitor policy for all 6 tools.

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

ENFORCE ON MY CRON MONITOR →

These attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access ping_monitor 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 ping_monitor only ever does what you allow.

SECURE CRON MONITOR →

Other read tools across the catalogue. The same approach applies to each: allow, with a rate cap to control cost.

What does the ping_monitor tool do? +

Send a heartbeat ping to a cron monitor to confirm the job ran successfully. Use ping_type='ping' for simple heartbeats, 'start'+'complete' for duration tracking, or 'fail' to immediately mark it down.. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Cron Monitor MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on ping_monitor? +

Register the Cron Monitor MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for ping_monitor: 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 Cron Monitor. Nothing to install.

What risk level is ping_monitor? +

ping_monitor is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit ping_monitor? +

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

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

ping_monitor is provided by the Cron Monitor MCP server (https://api.lazy-mac.com/cron-monitor/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Cron Monitor tool call.

Deterministic rules across all 6 Cron Monitor 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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