Create a task and optionally assign it to another agent. Use for delegating work, tracking sub-tasks, or creating follow-ups.
AI agents use cortex_task_create to create or update resources in Cortex Hub — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Cortex Hub environment.
This tool creates new task records in the system, which is a reversible write operation. It does not execute arbitrary code, delete data, move money, or perform destructive actions. The ability to assign tasks to other agents introduces potential for misuse (e.g., flooding an agent with false tasks), warranting medium severity rather than low.
From the tool's definition Tool name is 'cortex_task_create' and description states 'Create a task and optionally assign it to another agent.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access cortex_task_create gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Cortex Hub, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for cortex_task_create:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"cortex_task_create": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "cortex_task_create_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}cortex_task_create 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.
Create a task and optionally assign it to another agent. Use for delegating work, tracking sub-tasks, or creating follow-ups. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Cortex Hub MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Cortex Hub MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for cortex_task_create: 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 Cortex Hub. Nothing to install.
cortex_task_create 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 cortex_task_create 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 cortex_task_create. 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.
cortex_task_create is provided by the Cortex Hub MCP server (lktiep/cortex-hub). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Cortex Hub, 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.
25 Cortex Hub tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.