start_recording · ChimeraX MCP Server MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What start_recording does on ChimeraX MCP Server

AI agents invoke start_recording to trigger actions in ChimeraX MCP Server. 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 start_recording needs a policy

Starting a recording is an executable action that initiates system-level operations. While the blast radius is minimal (it only produces a movie file without affecting protein structures or external systems), the action itself—spawning a recording process—falls under Execute rather than Read or Write. It's not Destructive (no data loss), Financial (no monetary impact), or Destructive.

From the tool's definition Tool 'start_recording' initiates a movie recording of a ChimeraX session. This is an external operation that triggers a subprocess or background task whose effect depends on runtime context (e.g., output file location, duration, format).

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

start_recording Rate-limited

start_recording 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": {
    "start_recording": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "start_recording_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 ChimeraX MCP Server, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about start_recording

What does the start_recording tool do? +

Start recording a movie of the ChimeraX session. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the ChimeraX MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on start_recording? +

Register the ChimeraX MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for start_recording: 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 ChimeraX MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is start_recording? +

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

Can I rate-limit start_recording? +

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

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

start_recording is provided by the ChimeraX MCP Server MCP server (mahynotch/chimerax-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.