unfocus · Mementos MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What unfocus does on Mementos

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

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why unfocus needs a policy

The tool modifies the agent's state by clearing its project scoping/focus. This is a reversible configuration change (focus can be re-set), making it a Write operation. Misuse could disrupt an agent's context awareness, but the effect is not irreversible, hence medium severity.

From the tool's definition Remove focus for an agent (clears project scoping)

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

unfocus Rate-limited

unfocus 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": {
    "unfocus": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "unfocus_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 Mementos, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about unfocus

What does the unfocus tool do? +

Remove focus for an agent (clears project scoping). It is categorised as a Write tool in the Mementos MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on unfocus? +

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

What risk level is unfocus? +

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

Can I rate-limit unfocus? +

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

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

unfocus is provided by the Mementos MCP server (@hasna/mementos). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.