spawn_screenwatch
Start screen watch (spawn mode)
This record as markdown: /tools/mickeydb-cobalt-strike-mcp/spawn-screenwatch.md
What spawn_screenwatch does on Cobalt Strike MCP Server
AI agents invoke spawn_screenwatch 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 spawn_screenwatch is rated High
This tool executes screen capture/surveillance functionality on a remote compromised host via a Cobalt Strike beacon. It is Execute rather than Read because it spawns a new monitoring process with side effects (continuous screen capture, resource consumption, forensic artifacts).
From the tool's definition 'spawn_screenwatch' enables 'Start screen watch (spawn mode)' on Cobalt Strike beacons, which initiates surveillance of the target screen.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs spawn_screenwatch 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 spawn_screenwatch, this is the rule to start with:
spawn_screenwatch 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 spawn_screenwatch call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about spawn_screenwatch
Start screen watch (spawn mode). 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 spawn_screenwatch: 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.
spawn_screenwatch 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 spawn_screenwatch 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 spawn_screenwatch. 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.
spawn_screenwatch 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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