beacon_change_directory
Change current directory on a beacon
This record as markdown: /tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/beacon-change-directory.md
What beacon_change_directory does on Cobalt Strike MCP Server
AI agents invoke beacon_change_directory to trigger actions in Cobalt Strike 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 beacon_change_directory is rated High
Changing the current directory on a beacon is a navigation/execution action on a remote compromised system. While it doesn't directly destroy or write data, it executes a command on a beacon (remote agent), affecting the state of an active C2 session. In the context of a Cobalt Strike red team tool with 200+ beacon control capabilities, this is an Execute-level action.
From the tool's definition 'Change current directory on a beacon' — operates on a remote beacon (compromised host) in a Cobalt Strike red team context, triggering an external operation on the controlled system
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs beacon_change_directory safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Cobalt Strike MCP Server, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For beacon_change_directory, this is the rule to start with:
beacon_change_directory 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.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Cobalt Strike MCP Server, apply this rule, and every beacon_change_directory call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about beacon_change_directory
Change current directory on a beacon. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Cobalt Strike MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the Cobalt Strike MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for beacon_change_directory: 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 Cobalt Strike MCP Server. Nothing to install.
beacon_change_directory is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the beacon_change_directory 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.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for beacon_change_directory. 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.
beacon_change_directory is provided by the Cobalt Strike MCP Server MCP server (mickeydb/cobalt-strike-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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