Copy a file or folder to a new location. Both paths must be under home directory.
AI agents use files.copy to create or update resources in Orchard — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Orchard environment.
Copying creates a new file or folder at the destination path, which is a reversible write operation (the copy can be deleted). It does not delete the original, execute code, or involve financial transactions. The blast radius is medium because it could duplicate sensitive files to unintended locations.
From the tool's definition Copy a file or folder to a new location
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access files.copy gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Orchard, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for files.copy:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"files.copy": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "files.copy_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}files.copy 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.
Free to start. No card required.
Copy a file or folder to a new location. Both paths must be under home directory. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Orchard MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Orchard MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for files.copy: 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 Orchard. Nothing to install.
files.copy is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the files.copy 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 files.copy. 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.
files.copy is provided by the Orchard MCP server (l22-io/orchard-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Orchard, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
65 Orchard tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.