start_recording · Obs MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What start_recording does on Obs

AI agents invoke start_recording to trigger actions in Obs. 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 start_recording needs a policy

This tool executes an action that starts a recording process in OBS Studio. While not destructive (recording can be stopped), it is an Execute-category tool because it triggers an external operation with side effects.

From the tool's definition Tool name is 'start_recording' and description states 'Start OBS recording.' This triggers an external operation (OBS recording) whose effects depend on OBS configuration and cannot be trivially reversed without stopping the recording.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

start_recording Rate-limited

start_recording 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": {
    "start_recording": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "start_recording_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 Obs, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about start_recording

What does the start_recording tool do? +

Start OBS recording. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Obs MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on start_recording? +

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

What risk level is start_recording? +

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

Can I rate-limit start_recording? +

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

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

start_recording is provided by the Obs MCP server (larscangit/obs-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.