# spawn_powershell Execute PowerShell command on a beacon Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `spawn_powershell`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/spawn-powershell ## Facts - Tool: `spawn_powershell` - Server: Cobalt Strike MCP Server (`mickeydb/cobalt-strike-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp.md - Homepage: https://github.com/MickeyDB/Cobalt-Strike-MCP - Risk category: Execute (High risk) - Registry record: grade F, identity unverified - Server rate-limited: no - Parameters: 0 - Recommended policy verdict: Rate-limited ## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0) ```json { "jsonrpc": "2.0", "id": 1, "method": "tools/call", "params": { "name": "spawn_powershell", "arguments": {} } } ``` ## Why spawn_powershell is rated High This tool allows execution of arbitrary PowerShell commands on remote systems via Cobalt Strike beacons. PowerShell execution can enumerate systems, modify configurations, install malware, exfiltrate data, disable security controls, and pivot laterally. The blast radius is critical: an AI agent could inadvertently execute destructive or exfiltrating commands, disable endpoint protections, or launch further attacks. From the tool's own definition: "Tool description states 'Execute PowerShell command on a beacon' — directly executes arbitrary code on a compromised system. Cobalt Strike is a red team framework where beacons are implants on target machines." ## Use case AI agents invoke spawn_powershell 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. ## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer) Verdict: **Rate-limited**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Cobalt Strike MCP Server: ```json { "version": "1", "default": "deny", "tools": { "spawn_powershell": { "limits": [ { "counter": "spawn_powershell_rate", "window": "minute", "max": 10, "scope": "grant" } ] } } } ``` ## Other tools on Cobalt Strike MCP Server (219) - `beacon_delete_file` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/beacon-delete-file.md - `clear_beacon_command_queue` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/clear-beacon-command-queue.md - `delete_credential` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/delete-credential.md - `delete_listener` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/delete-listener.md - `delete_listener_dns` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/delete-listener-dns.md - `delete_listener_externalC2` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/delete-listener-externalc2.md - `delete_listener_foreignHttp` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/delete-listener-foreignhttp.md - `delete_listener_foreignHttps` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/delete-listener-foreignhttps.md - `delete_listener_http` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/delete-listener-http.md - `delete_listener_https` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/delete-listener-https.md - `delete_listener_smb` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/delete-listener-smb.md - `delete_listener_tcp` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/delete-listener-tcp.md - `delete_listener_userDefinedC2` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/delete-listener-userdefinedc2.md - `execute_kerberos_ticket_purge` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/execute-kerberos-ticket-purge.md - `execute_socks_stop_all` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/execute-socks-stop-all.md - `execute_tokenStore_remove` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/execute-tokenstore-remove.md - `execute_tokenStore_removeAll` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/execute-tokenstore-removeall.md - `kill_beacon` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/kill-beacon.md - `reset_data` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/reset-data.md - `beacon_change_directory` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/beacon-change-directory.md - `beacon_copy_file` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/beacon-copy-file.md - `create_listener` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/create-listener.md - `create_listener_dns` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/create-listener-dns.md - `create_listener_externalC2` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/create-listener-externalc2.md - `create_listener_foreignHttp` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/create-listener-foreignhttp.md - `create_listener_foreignHttps` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/create-listener-foreignhttps.md - `create_listener_http` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/create-listener-http.md - `create_listener_https` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/create-listener-https.md - `create_listener_smb` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/create-listener-smb.md - `create_listener_tcp` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/create-listener-tcp.md - …and 189 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp.md ## For agents This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry: - Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack` - Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md) - Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events` --- Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp