restore_snapshot

THE RISK

Medium Risk

Why restore_snapshot needs a policy

Restoring from snapshots modifies indices and their data, which is a reversible Write operation. While restoration could potentially overwrite existing data (seemingly destructive), snapshot restoration is typically considered a Write operation because: (1) it's a deliberate recovery mechanism rather than permanent deletion, (2) conflict resolution options suggest controlled behavior, and (3) the original data…

From the tool's definition Tool name 'restore_snapshot' and description 'Restore indices from an Elasticsearch snapshot' indicate data restoration/modification operations.

Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access restore_snapshot gives an agent:

POLICY

How to control restore_snapshot

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

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "restore_snapshot": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "restore_snapshot_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

restore_snapshot stays usable, but capped — an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

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

LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Free to start. No card required.

EXPLORE

Related tools and policies

More Agent Knowledge MCP tools

Destructive delete_document Delete a document from Elasticsearch index by document ID Destructive delete_index Delete an Elasticsearch index and all its documents permanently Destructive delete_index_metadata Delete metadata documentation for an Elasticsearch index Destructive reset_config Reset config.json to defaults from config.default.json (manual reset - overwrites current Execute reload_config Reload configuration from config.json file and reinitialize all components with updated se Execute server_upgrade Upgrade this MCP server when installed via uvx with automatic configuration backup and res Execute setup_elasticsearch Auto-setup Elasticsearch using Docker with optional Kibana and force recreate options Write batch_index_directory Batch index all documents from a directory into Elasticsearch with AI-enhanced metadata ge

All 27 Agent Knowledge MCP tools →

Write tools on other servers

M-Team MCP Server download_torrent YouTube MCP Server generate_video_title Android Forensics ADB MCP Server combine_reports 0xarchive web3_signup

Go deeper

The MCP Attack Database → Documented attack patterns against MCP deployments — and the policies that stop them.
Argument validation → Checking tool call arguments against schema and policy before they run.
Scoped token → Per-person credentials that grant a defined subset of servers and tools.
Rate Limiting MCP Tool Calls: A Practical Guide →
MCP Security: Why Prompt Guardrails Aren't Enough →

FAQ

Questions about restore_snapshot

What does the restore_snapshot tool do? +

Restore indices from an Elasticsearch snapshot with comprehensive options and conflict resolution. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Agent Knowledge MCP MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on restore_snapshot? +

Register the Agent Knowledge MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for restore_snapshot: 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 Agent Knowledge MCP. Nothing to install.

What risk level is restore_snapshot? +

restore_snapshot is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit restore_snapshot? +

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

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

restore_snapshot is provided by the Agent Knowledge MCP server (itshare4u/agentknowledgemcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Agent Knowledge MCP tool call.

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

CHECK YOUR STACK →