lithtrix_spawn · Lithtrix MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What lithtrix_spawn does on Lithtrix

AI agents invoke lithtrix_spawn to trigger actions in Lithtrix. 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 lithtrix_spawn needs a policy

Spawning a child agent is an execution-class action: it instantiates and runs a new autonomous agent under the parent. While it also creates a resource (Write), the primary concern is that it triggers external agent execution whose downstream effects are unbounded and depend on arguments.

From the tool's definition 'Spawn a scoped swarm child' and 'POST /v1/agents/{parent_agent_id}/spawn' — this triggers creation and execution of a new agent process

Risk signalsAdmin/system-level operation

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

lithtrix_spawn Rate-limited

lithtrix_spawn 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": {
    "lithtrix_spawn": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "lithtrix_spawn_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 Lithtrix, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about lithtrix_spawn

What does the lithtrix_spawn tool do? +

Spawn a scoped swarm child (POST /v1/agents/{parent_agent_id}/spawn). Requires root LITHTRIX_API_KEY. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Lithtrix MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on lithtrix_spawn? +

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

What risk level is lithtrix_spawn? +

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

Can I rate-limit lithtrix_spawn? +

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

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

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