toggle_recording · Obs MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What toggle_recording does on Obs

AI agents invoke toggle_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 toggle_recording needs a policy

This tool controls OBS Studio's recording state, starting or stopping the capture of audio/video to disk. It triggers an external operation with real-world side effects (recording begins or ends), fitting the Execute category. Misuse could cause unintended recording of sensitive content or loss of a recording in progress, making severity high.

From the tool's definition 'Toggle OBS recording on/off' — triggers an external operation (starting or stopping recording) in OBS Studio

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

toggle_recording Rate-limited

toggle_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": {
    "toggle_recording": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "toggle_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 toggle_recording

What does the toggle_recording tool do? +

Toggle OBS recording on/off. 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 toggle_recording? +

Register the Obs MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for toggle_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 toggle_recording? +

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

Can I rate-limit toggle_recording? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the toggle_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 toggle_recording completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for toggle_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 toggle_recording? +

toggle_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.