run_diagnostics · Sentient Brain Smithery MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What run_diagnostics does on Sentient Brain Smithery

AI agents invoke run_diagnostics to trigger actions in Sentient Brain Smithery. 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 run_diagnostics needs a policy

This tool triggers external system operations to assess health status. While diagnostics are typically non-destructive, the execution of system-level operations creates a moderate blast radius—diagnostics could reveal sensitive system information, consume resources, or fail silently, potentially impacting availability.

From the tool's definition The tool description states 'Run system diagnostics and health checks,' which involves executing diagnostic operations on a system. The verb 'run' combined with 'diagnostics' indicates execution of code or processes rather than passive retrieval.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

run_diagnostics Rate-limited

run_diagnostics 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": {
    "run_diagnostics": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "run_diagnostics_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 Sentient Brain Smithery, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about run_diagnostics

What does the run_diagnostics tool do? +

Run system diagnostics and health checks. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Sentient Brain Smithery MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on run_diagnostics? +

Register the Sentient Brain Smithery MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for run_diagnostics: 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 Sentient Brain Smithery. Nothing to install.

What risk level is run_diagnostics? +

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

Can I rate-limit run_diagnostics? +

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

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

run_diagnostics is provided by the Sentient Brain Smithery MCP server (mbpfws/sentient-brain-smithery). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.