AI agents use create_ellipse to create or update resources in Indesign — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Indesign environment.
This tool creates a new graphical shape (an ellipse) within a document, which is a reversible modification typical of document editing. It does not execute arbitrary code, delete data, or trigger financial transactions. The action is equivalent to manually drawing a shape in design software—a standard write operation with minimal blast radius since the change can be undone.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'create_ellipse' and description 'Create an ellipse shape' indicate creation of a design element within an InDesign document.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access create_ellipse gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Indesign, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for create_ellipse:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"create_ellipse": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "create_ellipse_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}create_ellipse 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.
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Create an ellipse shape. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Indesign MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Indesign MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for create_ellipse: 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 Indesign. Nothing to install.
create_ellipse 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 create_ellipse 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 create_ellipse. 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.
create_ellipse is provided by the Indesign MCP server (lucdesign/indesign-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Indesign, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
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36 Indesign tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.