set-submarine-state · Defcon MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What set-submarine-state does on Defcon

AI agents invoke set-submarine-state to trigger actions in Defcon. 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 IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why set-submarine-state needs a policy

This tool issues a command to change the operational state of a submarine within the DEFCON game, which is an external operation that triggers game state changes. While it includes potentially launching nukes, this is all within a game simulation context. The action is an Execute-category command that triggers external game operations depending on the chosen state argument.

From the tool's definition Sets the state of a submarine (passive sonar, active sonar, or nuke)

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

set-submarine-state Rate-limited

set-submarine-state 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": {
    "set-submarine-state": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "set-submarine-state_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches Defcon, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about set-submarine-state

What does the set-submarine-state tool do? +

Sets the state of a submarine (passive sonar, active sonar, or nuke). It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Defcon MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on set-submarine-state? +

Register the Defcon MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for set-submarine-state: 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 Defcon. Nothing to install.

What risk level is set-submarine-state? +

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

Can I rate-limit set-submarine-state? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the set-submarine-state 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 set-submarine-state completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for set-submarine-state. 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 set-submarine-state? +

set-submarine-state is provided by the Defcon MCP server (jorisvddonk/defcon-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.