AI agents use insert to create or update resources in Surreal — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Surreal environment.
The 'insert' tool creates new data records in SurrealDB, which is a reversible write operation. It does not delete or destroy data (ruling out Destructive), does not move money (ruling out Financial), and does not execute arbitrary code (ruling out Execute).
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'insert'; sibling tools include 'create', 'update', 'upsert', 'delete', 'query', indicating a data manipulation context. SurrealDB is a database, and 'insert' is a standard SQL/database operation that creates new records.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access insert gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Surreal, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for insert:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"insert": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "insert_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}insert 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.
insert. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Surreal MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Surreal MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for insert: 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 Surreal. Nothing to install.
insert 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 insert 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 insert. 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.
insert is provided by the Surreal MCP server (lfnovo/surreal-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Surreal, 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.
10 Surreal tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.