treehouse_lock · Treehouse Worktree MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What treehouse_lock does on Treehouse Worktree

AI agents use treehouse_lock to create or update resources in Treehouse Worktree — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Treehouse Worktree environment.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why treehouse_lock needs a policy

Locking a worktree is a state-modifying operation that reserves exclusive access to a resource. It is reversible (locks can be released) and has no permanent destructive effect, placing it in Write rather than Destructive. Severity is medium because misuse could block other agents from accessing worktrees unnecessarily, causing operational disruption, but does not irreversibly delete data or execute arbitrary code.

From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'Lock a worktree to prevent other agents from using it' — this modifies the state of a worktree resource by acquiring an exclusive lock, which is a reversible write operation (can be unlocked).

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

treehouse_lock Rate-limited

treehouse_lock 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.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "treehouse_lock": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "treehouse_lock_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches Treehouse Worktree, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about treehouse_lock

What does the treehouse_lock tool do? +

Lock a worktree to prevent other agents from using it. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Treehouse Worktree MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on treehouse_lock? +

Register the Treehouse Worktree MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for treehouse_lock: 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 Treehouse Worktree. Nothing to install.

What risk level is treehouse_lock? +

treehouse_lock is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit treehouse_lock? +

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

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

treehouse_lock is provided by the Treehouse Worktree MCP server (mark-hingston/treehouse-worktree). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.