set_beacon_spawnto
Set the spawn-to process for a beacon
This record as markdown: /tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/set-beacon-spawnto.md
What set_beacon_spawnto does on Cobalt Strike MCP Server
AI agents invoke set_beacon_spawnto 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 set_beacon_spawnto is rated High
This tool modifies the spawn-to configuration for a Cobalt Strike beacon, which controls which process is used when the beacon needs to spawn new processes for post-exploitation activities (e.g., running BOFs, lateral movement). This is an operational configuration change that directly affects the execution behavior of an active implant in a red team/adversary simulation context.
From the tool's definition 'Set the spawn-to process for a beacon' - configures the process that Cobalt Strike beacons will spawn into for post-exploitation operations
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs set_beacon_spawnto 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 set_beacon_spawnto, this is the rule to start with:
set_beacon_spawnto 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 set_beacon_spawnto call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about set_beacon_spawnto
Set the spawn-to process for 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 set_beacon_spawnto: 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.
set_beacon_spawnto 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 set_beacon_spawnto 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 set_beacon_spawnto. 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.
set_beacon_spawnto 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.
More on Cobalt Strike MCP Server, and thousands of servers like it.
Across the catalogue