stop_scan · SpiderFoot MCP Server MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What stop_scan does on SpiderFoot MCP Server

AI agents invoke stop_scan to trigger actions in SpiderFoot 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 stop_scan needs a policy

Stopping a scan is an action that halts an ongoing process in an external system. It is not merely reading data (Read), nor creating/modifying data reversibly (Write), nor permanently destroying data (Destructive). It executes a command to terminate an operation, making it an Execute action.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'stop_scan' and description 'Stop a running scan' indicate an action that terminates an external operation (a SpiderFoot OSINT scan). This triggers a state change in an external system whose effects depend on which scan is targeted via arguments.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

stop_scan Rate-limited

stop_scan 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": {
    "stop_scan": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "stop_scan_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

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

FAQ

Questions about stop_scan

What does the stop_scan tool do? +

Stop a running scan. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the SpiderFoot 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 stop_scan? +

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

What risk level is stop_scan? +

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

Can I rate-limit stop_scan? +

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

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

stop_scan is provided by the SpiderFoot MCP Server MCP server (marlinkcyber/spiderfoot-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.