Clear a specific conversation history
AI agents call clear_conversation to permanently remove resources in Claude Desktop API MCP — typically in cleanup and lifecycle workflows. It does its job in a single call, and there is no undo.
Clearing conversation history is a destructive operation that permanently erases stored data. While the blast radius is limited to a single conversation rather than system-wide, it cannot be reversed and represents data loss. This is classified as Destructive rather than Write because the operation is fundamentally about deletion/removal of existing data rather than creation or modification.
From the tool's definition The tool name is 'clear_conversation' and the description states it 'Clear[s] a specific conversation history' — this irreversibly removes data without the ability to undo the deletion.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access clear_conversation gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Claude Desktop API MCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for clear_conversation:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"hide": [
"clear_conversation"
]
}clear_conversation disappears from the agent's tool list entirely, and any attempt to call it is denied. The rest of the server keeps working.
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Clear a specific conversation history. It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the Claude Desktop API MCP MCP Server, which means it can permanently delete or destroy data. Block by default and require explicit approval.
Register the Claude Desktop API MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for clear_conversation: 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 Claude Desktop API MCP. Nothing to install.
clear_conversation is a Destructive tool with critical risk. Critical-risk tools should be blocked by default and only enabled with explicit human approval.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the clear_conversation 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 clear_conversation. 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.
clear_conversation is provided by the Claude Desktop API MCP server (mlobo2012/claude_desktop_api_use_via_mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Claude Desktop API MCP, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
4 Claude Desktop API MCP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.