restart_app · Manifest MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What restart_app does on Manifest MCP

AI agents invoke restart_app to trigger actions in Manifest MCP. 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 restart_app needs a policy

Restarting an application is an executable action that performs real-world changes to external systems (the provider's running apps). It is not merely a read (no data retrieval), not a reversible write (restart is immediate and disruptive), and not destructive in the sense of permanent data loss.

From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Restart a running app via the provider' — this triggers an external operation (app restart) whose effects depend on which app is specified as an argument. The action is irreversible mid-operation and impacts live services.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

restart_app Rate-limited

restart_app 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": {
    "restart_app": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "restart_app_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 Manifest MCP, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about restart_app

What does the restart_app tool do? +

Restart a running app via the provider without closing its lease. Use this to apply configuration changes or recover from a crash. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Manifest MCP MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on restart_app? +

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

What risk level is restart_app? +

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

Can I rate-limit restart_app? +

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

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

restart_app is provided by the Manifest MCP server (manifest-network/manifest-mcp-mono). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.