auto_compact · Session Buddy MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What auto_compact does on Session Buddy

AI agents use auto_compact to create or update resources in Session Buddy — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Session Buddy environment.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why auto_compact needs a policy

Compaction modifies or summarizes conversation data, which is a write/transformation operation. It reduces or restructures existing data (conversation history) into a summary form. While this could be considered destructive if original data is lost, 'compaction with summary' implies the content is preserved in summarized form rather than deleted outright.

From the tool's definition Automatically trigger conversation compaction with intelligent summary

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

auto_compact Rate-limited

auto_compact 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.

View as policy code

policy.json

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

LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

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

FAQ

Questions about auto_compact

What does the auto_compact tool do? +

Automatically trigger conversation compaction with intelligent summary. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Session Buddy MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on auto_compact? +

Register the Session Buddy MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for auto_compact: 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 Session Buddy. Nothing to install.

What risk level is auto_compact? +

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

Can I rate-limit auto_compact? +

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

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

auto_compact is provided by the Session Buddy MCP server (lesleslie/session-buddy). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.