AI agents use create_layer 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.
Creating a layer is a write operation that adds new content structure to a document. It is not destructive (layers can be deleted), not financial, and not code execution. While it modifies document state, the change is fully reversible and has minimal blast radius if invoked incorrectly by an AI agent—an unwanted layer can simply be removed.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'create_layer' and description 'Create a new layer' indicate a data creation operation. The action creates a new layer within an InDesign document, which is a reversible modification.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access create_layer 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_layer:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"create_layer": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "create_layer_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}create_layer 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 a new layer. 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_layer: 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_layer 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_layer 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_layer. 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_layer 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.